Tousan
by Soulreciever
Summary: His father had become his rock after his mother had died and to save him, to ensure that he does not loose another loved one, he'll do allmost anything. AU. Mixed cannon. Slash
1. Saline

Tousan.

1.Saline.

T: Weeee! Sorry, had to get that out of my system! An experimental fic for you focusing on an interesting what if…before I ramble any further let us get to the warnings and the disclaimers! Mixed cannon, alternate universe, Ed's potty mouth and slash at a later date. I own nothing you see apart from the idea!

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He remembers still how it'd felt to not have his father in his life, remembers how much he had hated the other and how very distant his beloved mother had grown without that man there.

He remembers also how, when the other had walked back into their lives, his mother had cried despite the smile on her lips.

Slowly 'that man's' presence had begun to change his life, the pity fading from the eyes of the villagers and the taunts falling useless from the other children's lips. There had been changes also to the negative, for 'that man' had not, as he had secretly hoped, praised his first tentative steps into Alchemy. Instead he had forbidden him from the pursuit of such knowledge, 'that man' had also locked up the study in order to assure that neither he, nor his brother, could disobey this order. 'That man's' return had also coincided with the deterioration of his mother's health.

He had stood at her side whenever he was allowed to and, occasionally, when had been told to be elsewhere. He had watched as the doctors had plied her with their medicines and listened as they had given their bleak forecasts for her future. Watching 'that man' respond to these words, watching his confidence shatter as the grief had consumed him, he had felt his hatred of the other bleed away.

The day that his mother had passed on, that the three of them had sat, hand it hand, and listened to her final words, had been the day when 'that man' had become again his father.

They had pulled together after that, grief filling up the divides that'd been between them and making them stronger than they might, otherwise, have been.

Under their father's watchful eye they had learned of the world, of the many natural wonders caged within it and they had understood that alchemy did not hold the answer to all of the world's problems. Once this vital lesson was clear in their thoughts their father had unlocked his study and begun to patiently tutor them in all aspects of the Alchemic craft.

His father had also begun to give him private lessons, the principles and the techniques they discussed far too intense for Alphonse's more meagre gift. His father had just reached the matter of human transmutation when an unknown illness had struck him.

At first it'd been little more than a cough, hard and relentless when it struck but so rare in its occurrence that it'd not been concerning. Then his father had become lethargic, spending longer and longer periods of time wrapped in the confines of his bed sheets. Finally his father's skin had begun to black and die, the stench of the rotting flesh barely concealed by the sickly sweet smell of perfume the other wore always.

He'd sat in the darkened room, that odd mix of smells potent in his nose, the familiar platitudes of the doctors ringing in his ears and he'd come to a decision.

He'd managed to pack his suitcase without arousing suspicion and it was only once he'd crossed the threshold of the house that his 'escape' was detected.

Looking older than he should for the taint of the grief in his eyes Alphonse had stared, uncomprehending, at the suitcase in his hands and, after a moment, he'd enquired,

"Where are you going 'niisan?"

"Central."

"Why?"

"To become a state Alchemist."

"To help tousan?"

"I can not sit idle while someone else I love dies."

"Will you let me come with you?"

"No, it is enough that I am being forced onto this path."

"I do not have to take the tests…"

"You want me out of the way." There had been tears in his brother's eyes and, guilt settled like iron in his stomach, he'd said, "I want you safe, ototo." As he'd pulled the other into his arms.

The warmth of the other had been so very reassuring and it'd felt less a lie when he'd told the other,

"I'll be back before you know it."

He'd looked back only once after he'd stepped into the crisp night air and the image of his brother, who had seemed so small against the open expanse of the sky, waving him goodbye would haunt his dreams for weeks afterwards.

He'd thought to study on the train in order to polish his already extensive Alchemic knowledge but the strain of having to say goodbye, along with the swaying of the train, had swiftly put pay to that idea.

He'd awoken as the train had slowed for the final station and, glancing out of the window, he'd been treated with the sight of the sprawling metropolis that was Central. He'd thought it was little in comparison to the beauty of the sun rising over the open fields of his homeland, the bitter thought setting a negative opinion of the city into his mind and adding to his desire to simply be done with his task.

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T: Da da, chapter one! Saline is the chemical that produces tears for those curious! Please review ( I want honest opinions!) and the next chapter will but up Thursday.


	2. Sulphur

2. Sulphur. 

T: Chapter two and the beginning of the story proper…it's also slightly smaller and I apologise for that fact but I didn't want to spoil the way this chapter ends! Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny!

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When first he'd made the choice to come to Central he'd found out his father's old maps of the city and written out a set of directions to take him to the military headquarters. A recent need for expansion in the city had rendered this patent research all but useless and, after walking into his third dead end of the day, he'd scrunched the piece of paper into a tiny ball and thrown them as hard and as far as possible.

But a moment later the ball is being thrust back into his line of sight and an annoyed voice was saying,

"This landed in my breakfast." He opens his mouth to apologise but then the stranger says, "You could have simply asked if you wanted help," the words innocent on the surface of things and yet hidden within them is something that has him responding, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO TEENY THAT HE HAS TO THROW SOMETHING TO BE NOTICED?!" as he tilts his head upwards in order that he might look the other in the eye.

The stranger is handsome, the confidence in his smile a quick tell that he is more than aware of this fact, he has also served in some form of conflict, for there is a void in the darkness of the other's eyes that he has seen countless times in the eyes of his father. He is also, judging by the pips on his shoulders, a colonel.

He has a little too much pride to apologise for what could easily be viewed as insubordination and instead opts to act as though the last few moments have not just occurred,

"Are you a state alchemist?"

"That is correct."

"Then would you be able to point me in the direction of the military headquarters?" The man's smile tightens and, his voice edged in something that can only be despair, he says,

"Go home, kid."

The other lingers only a brief moment after that and no amount of shouting gains back his attention. Frustrated now beyond belief he strikes the palms of his hands together and, thinking clearly of slowing the other down, he places them against the concrete.

Lightening sparks out from his palms and, a moment later, the floor turns into fine sand. The stranger's weight sinks him down far enough that, by the time that the other has pried himself free, he is again at his side.

The man regards him a long moment, his hands dipping to dust at the particles of sand upon his uniform and then rising up into a snapping gesture. His smile stretches out again into a smug confidence and he says, "If that's the way you want to play it," before he snaps his fingers and all hell breaks loose.

………………………………………………………………………..

"You understand the chaos that this little display caused?"

"Yes sir."

Fuhrer president King Bradley had the perfect poker face, something he had concluded within the first two seconds of meeting the man and that meant he had no true idea of what the other was thinking.

"What did you say your name was?"

"Edward Elric, sir."

"Your father is Hoenheim Elric?"

"Yes sir."

"He is responsible for your knowledge in alchemy?"

"Yes sir."

"Was he also the one to suggest placing transmutation circles on the inner lining of your gloves?"

"No sir, that was my own idea." The man regards him for another long moment and then he enquires,

"Why are you here, Edward Elric?"

"My father is ill, sir and the doctors can not make him better. I know that if I could access the first branch library I could help him but the only way I can do that is to become a state alchemist."

"You are only thirteen years old and are, as yet, an unknown in the alchemy world. However you have a strong natural talent and a mind sharper than some of the most renowned alchemists of my generation. I suggest that you report to colonel Mustang tomorrow and he will brief you on your next step."

"Colonel Mustang?"

"Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, though you might know him better as…" the other glances, briefly, at the report before him then concludes, "Colonel Bastard."

"Ah."

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T: Whoops! I'm sure he'll forgive you eventually Ed! Sulphur is one of the main ingredients for gunpowder and its explosive properties made it the best candidate for this particular chapter title! I'm aware that both in the manga and the anime Roy spends a chunk of his time in the Eastern city but for my purposes he's staying put in Central…has probably made things more complex for me but there we go! Please review and expect the next chapter Sunday at the latest.


	3. Graphite

3. Graphite. 

T: A little further mixing about with cannon but hopefully not too much that it'll be confusing! Apart from this warnings remain the same and only the plot bunny is mine.

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Ototo,

It's been a week since I last saw your face, something that seems a little unbelievable considering how much has happened in that short space of time. I guess tousan was right and things move at a swifter pace in the city!

I'm currently living with someone from the Military headquarters research department. His name is Maes Hughes and he's a little…obsessed…with his family. I've gotten used to tuning him out when he gets on one of his rants about his 'cute' daughter or 'sexy' wife, something that's allowed me to see how intelligent he is bellow his excessive personality.

Hughes is helping me prepare for my alchemy exam and I am hopeful that, with his tuition, I'll be back in the blink of an eye.

Tell tousan that I am sorry that I left without warning, that I love him and that I shall do anything in my power to make things right again.

All my love,

Oniichan.

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"…I heard yesterday that they arrested Mr. Tucker."

"It seems that he was conducting some very unpleasant experiments."

"Define 'unpleasant'."

"You are better off no knowing, Ed."

"What are they going to do with his daughter?" His companion is silent a moment too long and, feeling sick, he enquires, "Did he perform one of these 'experiments' on her?"

"He was under a great deal of pressure, state alchemists are evaluated each year, you see, and, should they prove lacking, their licences are revoked. It seems he used his daughter to recreate his infamous talking chimera."

"There had to be another way…"

"Desperate men do desperate things, Ed, you know that well already."

"You'll shoot me if I get that desperate, right?" The other laughs and ruffling his hair he counters, "Of course," before he enquires,

"Have you decided what you're going to do in the exam?"

"I'm going to be myself."

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A darkened room and a three legged stool that had been as a test of courage; Bradley's voice, patient as always, asking him the one question he has still no true answer to,

"Why do you wish to become an Alchemist?" He'd stared at Bradley's blank face, at the faces of the other assessors, and his mind had emptied out of every answer that he was assured the panel would deem 'acceptable'.

Silence and then a sharp image of his mother's face had bloomed before him.

Struck with the memory of her scent, of how happy she had been before the illness had taken her he had replied,

"I want to become and alchemist to protect those I love, to do everything in my power to assure that no one else dies."

The smug smile on the face of the 'legendary' Flame Alchemist had boiled away his nerves and he'd attacked the practical exam with an enthusiasm that'd 'wowed' the judges.

Sweat heavy on his body and the memory of that darkened room strong still in his mind he'd stood once again under the gaze of Bradley's unwavering eye.

"It is a rare number of individuals who pass the exams, Elric-san."

"Lieutenant Hughes has made me aware of that fact, sir."

"Has he also made you aware of the conditions surrounding the 'employment' of every state alchemist?"

"In the event of a war a state alchemist will be called upon to use his powers to kill. Also a state alchemist is loyal to the military and must complete all of the tasks assigned to him by his commanding officer."

"I suggest that you go and eat a hearty lunch, Elric-san, the colonel is known to be a little harder on 'rookies'." He stairs, dumfounded, a moment and then, the subtext of the command sinking in, he straitens out into a salute and responds, "Yes sir," before he marches from the man's office.

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"Your watch and your certificate." The colonel passes both items into his care and, a teasing smile on his lips, he enquires, "Are you curious to know what title you have been given?"

"Title?"

"When you become a state alchemist you are given your watch and a title that acts as a codename of sorts."

"Isn't 'the flame alchemist' a little too showy to be considered a codename?"

"The fuhrer has an odd sense of humour, Elric-kun, this you shall learn quickly."

"What is my title then?"

"The shadow alchemist."

"Because of my father's codename?"

"It has also been given to you because of those." The other remarks as he gestures to his gloves.

"I see what you mean about his sense of humour." The other dismisses the remark out of hand and, glancing down at his paperwork, he says,

"Report to lieutenant Hughes and he shall brief you on your first assignement."

"Yes sir." There is sarcasm in his tone and, judging by the elder man's smile, he notices this fact. He believes the other has let it ride and then, just as he reaches the doorway, the colonel says,

"Be sure not to get lost, Elric-kun."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO TINY THAT HE'D EASILY GET LOST amongst A COLONEY OF ANTS?"

"I don't believe I said that."

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Oniichan,

Congratulations on passing your exams last week. I wanted to come to congratulate you personally but tousan has not been at all well this last week and I am scared to leave him alone…perhaps, if you will allow it, I could come to see you when he is better. Winry has decided to come and see you next month, she wanted to surprise you but I thought it was better that you were warned so that you could organise things a little before she arrived.

The house seems so empty without you here; tousan has been trying his best to make up for your absence by regaling me with stories from the past but recently he's been loosing the narrative half way through or simply falling asleep before he could finish the tail.

Tousan wished me to tell you that he is not angry, that he understands why you feel you must take this path.

Sending you all my love,

Ototo.

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T: Graphite is, as I'm sure everyone knows, the material used to fill pencils. Ed's alternate codename has been giving me a real headache, especially as the new one is clunky enough that it feels wrong for Roy to use it instead of Ed's name...hopefully its not too weird! Please review and look out for the next chapter Tuesday at the latest.


	4. C9 H13 NO3

4. C9H13NO3.

T: This is the chemical make up of the hormone that produces adrenaline…yes this is important! Cliff hanger and a slight increase in the dramatics but apart from this the warnings remain the same. I still own nothing other than the plot bunny!

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"…somehow this guy has been transporting the bodies without detection."

"And I'm helping you how?"

"You've got a knack for looking at things from a different angle, Ed."

"A knack you want me to use in this investigation?"

"Right."

"You'll have to let me see all of the case notes."

"One moment." Hughes spins his chair around, grabs a large handful of files and spins back again, "This should get you started and I'll get the rest to you tomorrow."

"You're joking, right?"

"Have fun reading that lot Ed, I'm off to get a bite to eat." He sends Hughes's retreating form a sharp glare, then, mentally cursing 'smug colonel bastards', he begins to make his way through the files.

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It has taken him the better part of a month and yet he has just reached the end of the final file when a unknown solider appears in front of 'his' desk and enquires,

"Are you the shadow alchemist?"

"Yes."

"There is a young lady asking for you at the main entrance." Recalling his brother's mention of Winry's 'surprise' visit he flashes the gentleman a smile and enquires,

"Will you take me to her?"

"Of course, sir."

Winry's bag lies, abandoned on the steps, a line of footprints amid the freshly fallen snow as the only sight that anyone has been here recently.

Tracing the footprints he comes to the impression of a tire track and, glancing towards his 'companion' he enquires,

"Has there been a van parked here in the last hour or so?"

"Yes sir, I believe it was delivering chilled meet to the staff canteen."

"Would it be searched?"

"I doubt it." Adrenaline hot in his blood he makes a flimsy excuse to his 'companion' and begins to follow the vans trail.

He ends out, eventually, in a storage room, the air about him laced with the stench of raw meat and chill enough that he can see his each and every breath.

A woman is crouched in one corner, her thin form shaking both for the cold and the tears she is trying to hold back.

"Have you been taken as well?" She nods and, gesturing with one trembling finger, she says,

"There is someone else here as well." Turning his back upon her he manages to says, "Let's find her and get out of here." Before the world falls away.

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The sound of metal on stone wakes him and he is allowed another glimpse of the woman he had attempted to save before she sheds her disguise and reveals her true nature.

Winry is dragged from the darkness and the man; he later learns that his name was 'Barry', talks to him about the ease of taking a life.

The heat of the clever as it sinks into his shoulder freezes his brain and, for a brief moment, he can do noting other than plead for his life.

Then, deep within his heart, the hardened resolution that he had to live, that he had to fulfil the promise he had made, had stirred, its bright intensity burning away his fear and freezing his mind into an icy rational.

He'd chaffed his wrists against his binds until they'd bled then, with that liquid, he'd sketched an array into the handcuffs and shattered them. Adrenaline hot again in his blood he'd avoided the other's weapon as best he could and searched, desperately, for a way out of the situation. Just as everything had begun to seem hopeless and the fear had, again, begun to crumble his determination, reinforcements had arrived.

Winry tucked against his shoulder he'd watched Barry being carted towards the security van with a numb sense of victory.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that, neesan." Smiling for the unprompted endearment Winry had pulled a little closer and responded,

"I knew that you'd save me, ototo."

…………………………………………………………………………..

Glancing up from his paperwork Colonel Mustang was surprised to see the face of his 'friend' lieutenant Hughes,

"I take it that you have a reason for being here."

"Can't a guy drop in unexpectedly on an old acquaintance?"

"If you'd wanted a causal chat you'd have invited me out for a drink. Why are you here, Hughes?"

"We've confirmed that Shou Tucker was killed by 'Scar' and I thought I'd better warn you to keep your head down."

"'Scar'?

"You know you'd do so much better if you read some of that stuff before you incinerated it!" Hughes remarked as he gestured to the paperwork,

"Hughes, I'd rather not have to incinerate you also…"

"Okay, okay, I get the hint! We've not got much on him and the only thing I can say for certain is that he's got an x shaped scar on his forehead. He's killed 15 state alchemists this year alone and it's rumoured that he's behind Grand's death."

"And he's here?"

"It seems that way." For a moment he simply sits staring, blankly, at Hughes and then he pushes himself to his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"If Scar is targeting state alchemists it makes sense that he'll strike at those in the public eye first, right?"

"That's why I came to tell you about him, as the infamous Flame Alchemist you'll be a prime target."

"There is someone else in the public eye, Hughes, someone who is, at his moment in time, out on the streets and very vulnerable."

"I don't…" He can see the very moment the penny drops by the tightening of the skin about Hughes's mouth, "Edward?"

"Correct."

"We've got to find him."

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T: Poor Ed hasn't had much of a break what with Barry attacking him and then Scar on his trail, it almost makes me feel sorry for him…almost…no big niggles in this chapter though, if you spot one, don't be afraid to let me know! Please review and the next chapter will be up Thursday at the latest.


	5. Haemoglobin

5.Haemoglobin 

T: The title says it all! Semi cliff hanger though nothing too dramatic! Apart from this warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny!!

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"So where do you want to go first?"

"How about a pastry shop? We can have cake to celebrate your success!"

"You're going to make me pay, aren't you?"

"You wouldn't expect a poor girl to pay for her own cake would you, Ed?" He bites back the scathing reply lingering on his tongue and instead smiles a soft, indulging, smile at his 'big sister'.

"Mr Edward Elric?" Turning he is met with another stranger in inform and, letting out a frustrated breath, he informs Winry,

"This shouldn't take a moment. There's a nice pastry shop just a little down this street, how about I meet you there."

"Okay."

"So what can I do for you?" He enquires once Winry is out of earshot.

"You need to return immediately to headquarters, a killer is loose in the area…"

"Edward Elric, the shadow alchemist!" The uniformed soldier's head implodes and, the gentle sound of blood hitting the concrete as a background atmospheric, he is brought, again, fact to face with a killer.

He runs as fast as he can, aware always of the other at his heals and, once he can run no further, he uses his alchemy to create a protective box of concrete about him.

He feels secure until the moment that one of the walls explodes outwards and then he is met with one certain thought; 'I'm going to die'.

The killer's hand connects with his right arm and a white heat courses through the limb as it implodes in a shower of blood. Numb but for that agony he raises his head to meet the killers eyes and, a smile on his lips, he enquires,

"Are you going to kill me or what?"

The hand sets onto his head, the subtle press of its weight as a death warrant and then the crack of a gunshot lifts that weight from him.

"That's enough!"

"Colonel, get the hell out of here!"

"No."

"If you stand in the way of god's divine judgement then you too shall be destroyed."

"Is that so? Perhaps I should introduce myself, Colonel Roy Mustang the flame alchemist." Fire sparks then in the air, the odd scent of the carbon produced by the other's gloves the last thing he senses before the world, again, falls away.

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"…d…Ed?"

"Winry?"

"I'm here, Ed. Lieutenant, he's awake!" Winry's face comes into view a moment later, another, less familiar face close behind it,

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, why are you here?"

"I came as back up for the colonel but the fool insisted on 'going it alone'."

"Is he…"

"I'm fine, Ed."

Rolling onto his side he is brought into sight of the colonel, laid out on the opposite hospital bed, the stump of his left leg propped up by pillows.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Why are you apologising? You had no part in the loss of my leg and even if you had, Miss Rockabell has assured me that I will soon be again on my feet."

"How can you be so casual about this? You were almost killed!"

"I'd let it go, Elric-kun, he'll happily argue his point until you are an old man." Hawkeye is smiling and yet there is something in her tone that makes it clear she too disapproves of the colonel's attitude, something that comforts him to no end.

"You will have to be questioned on this matter, Elric-kun, but that can wait until after you have returned."

"Returned?"

"As skilled as I am, Ed, I'll be happier with obaachan at my side."

"It is possible that scar will follow you on this journey and so I will be assigning you with a bodyguard."

"I had thought that you were to accompany us, Hawkeye."

"As much as it pains me to let you out of my sight, sir, someone has to 'hold the fort' in your absence."

"I know that Hughes is bogged down in paperwork and that the rest of my 'loyal' staff are far too cowardly to volunteer for such a mission, so who have you got?"

…………………………………………………………………………….

Somehow I can't help buy feel that she's punishing me." The colonel remarks in a desperate whisper. Glancing across at the impressive figure of Louis Armstrong he is almost tempted to agree with this assessment and yet, having no want to miss the chance to irk the other a little, he says instead,

"It seems to me that she was simply worried about your safety, sir. Either that or she felt you needed babysitting." The elder man shoots him a dirty look and turns his attention to watching the horizon passing across the window.

The silence is filled by the sound of Armstrong recounting the many talents at his disposal and where, precisely, in the family each talent has filtered down from. He listens to this information with only half an ear, choosing, instead, to focus on the thought of seeing Alphonse again.

He is brought back to himself when the colonel tenses in his seat and, concerned despite himself, he enquires,

"What is the matter colonel?"

"Isn't that Dr Marho?"

Armstrong leans out of the carriage window and a moment later he is yelling,

"Dr Marho!!" The gentleman in question takes off down the station and, sensing an opportunity, he enquires,

"Who is Dr Marho?"

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T: I'm afraid the arm had to go! On the plus side Ed still has both legs! I'd feel sorry for Roy but it really was his own fault!! Again no real niggles for myself but don't be afraid to ask me on something you're not sure on! Please review and the next chapter will be up Sunday avo.


	6. Red Water

6. Red water.

T: A bit of an exposition chapter this time around but hopefully you'll forgive me for that! Warnings remain the same and I still fail to own anything other than the plot bunny.

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"Who is Dr Marho?"

"He used to be involved in the alchemy research department at central. He was researching the used of alchemy for medical purposes but he vanished during the Ishibalian civil war." He wishes to inquire as the colonel's reaction to the mention of the war, but understands well that such conversations will have to wait and thus he says simply,

"Let's get off."

"I thought we were getting off at Risenbol."

"If he did that sort of research then he might know of a way to help tousan."

The colonel hesitates as they near the station exit and, his hands tensing upon his crutches, he says,

"I shall wait here."

"Won't you be in danger?"

"I may be lame but I am still fully able to defend myself, Edward."

"If it makes you feel any better Ed I'll stay with him." There is something in Winry's eyes that tell shim the matter is best left alone and, smiling genially, he says,

"We shouldn't be long."

……………………………………………………………………………

After passing about a sketch of Marho and listening to the many praising comments from the villagers, they end out in front of a battered doorway.

"Why is he hiding?"

"When the doctor disappeared some top secret research disappeared as well. It was rumoured that he stole the research and ran…perhaps he thought we'd been sent to bring him back."

He knocks gently on the door and, weary of a potential trap, he pushes the thing inward,

"Is anyone home?" The sharp crack of a gunshot follows the question and then a trembling voice enquires,

"Are you here to take me back?"

"No."

"Then you are here to kill me!"

"Dr Marho would you please calm down a moment."

"I'll not let you near me, not while there's strength left in my body." The gun clenched in the other's hands is shaking wildly now and, aware that this might prove his only chance, he places his hand against the wall. A moment later he is throwing a transmuted stone at the gun, knocking it free from Marho's grip,

"Please, Dr Marho, we need you to calm down."

………………………………………………………………………………….

They are sat around Dr Marho's kitchen table, a hot cup of tea clenched in both their hands and their ears listening carefully to the man's words.

"…I couldn't stand it anymore, having to obey their orders and dirty my hands with innocent blood…the civil war was the final straw, seeing all those individuals slaughtered simply for their beliefs… I know that I can not undo the harm that I caused, but I wish to try and make up for those mistakes as best as I can, that's why I became a doctor for this village."

"What were you researching before you fled the war? What did you take with you?" He enquires.

"I was making the philosophers stone." Marho replies, his tone and his manner akin to one admitting to murder.

"The stone is a legend, isn't it?"

"If only that were the case." Marho rises from his seat and, after searching a moment in his cupboards, he pulls out a small vile of red liquid, "This an imperfect compound that acts in a similar way to the stone but that will, at some point, reach its limitations and cease to work." Uncorking the vile Marho pours the contents onto the table and he watches, with a grim face, as the thing solidifies into a spherical shape.

"This compound is what you've been using to heal people?"

"That is correct."

"Then do you think that I might see your research?"

"What would you want with such information? Major Armstrong who is this child?"

"This is the shadow alchemist."

"A state alchemist…but why would you want to take such a tainted path at such a young age? Do you not know what it means to be a state alchemist, of what they will ask of you?

"I know well that state alchemists have to participate in warfare, know well that there may come a day when I am asked to take a life. However, I made a promise both to myself and to those I hold closest to my heart, a promise I shall keep no matter what the cost."

"Even with such a resolve I can not allow you to see my data."

"You do not understand…"

"Nothing you can say will change my mind. This is the work of the devil and to see it is to walk the path into hell."

"What makes you think that I fear hell?"

"Please go."

…………………………………………………………………………….

"Are you satisfied?" The colonel had, until that moment, been sat silently watching the ever changing horizon and listening to him telling Winry of the time he had spent with Dr Marho. He looks at the other a moment then, smiling, he replies,

"I could have stolen his research from him, the thought was there in my head from the moment I realised that that data was the answer to everything, but then I started to think about all the people Armstrong and I had seen on the way to the house…" He turns his attention to the horizon then, the conclusion of the sentence left unspoken for the hollow sentimentally contained within it.

"During the Ishibalian war the military used Marho's compound to augment the power of the alchemists it had hired. The consequences were…"

"So you served during the massacre."

"Indeed, I was on the front line."

"Then that is why you decided to fight Scar alone."

"That is correct."

"Hughes told me that you are trying to change the way that this government is run, that you are pushing your way to the top in order to assure that things such as the civil war do not happen again."

"Your point?"

"Firstly, though I understand that the civil war was unjust I do not see how that gives Scar the right to kill innocent people, secondly, how the hell do you think you are going to make a difference if you're dead?" The other is smiling now and, feeling a little self conscious, he enquires, "What are you smirking about?"

"I was just thinking that, for someone your size, you're rather intelligent."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO TEENY THAT HIS BRAIN IS THE SIZE OF A PEA?"

"You really need to work on that temper of yours, Edward."

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T: No niggles, next chapter Tuesday avo, please review!


	7. Oxygen

7. Oxygen. 

T: This chapter is also, in part, exposition but it has a vague cliff-hanger that I hope makes up for this fact!! I own nothing you see here apart from the plot bunny and yep, the warnings remain the same.

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"I thought that the next that I saw this place I'd have some form of an answer…I guess it's true that things never quite work out the way we planned."

"Do you want to face Al with that attitude?" Winry enquires, her face tightened into the 'mothering' edge that he recalls well from his childhood.

"Let's go home!" He remarks as he pulls a smile onto his lips.

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Oniichan!" Alphonse is as warm to the touch and he clutches as tightly to the other as his missing arm will allow, irrationally afraid that that warmth might disappear if he lets his guard down.

"I was so frightened when Winry-chan told me about your arm…I wanted so badly just to see your face…to know that you were alive…"

"As if I'd die yet, I'm fourteen next week, after all!"

"Not that you'd know it from the size of him." He resists the urge to snap at this remark, for he has no want for Alphonse to know anything other than a peaceful life and instead says,

"Al this is Colonel Mustang, Colonel this is my little brother Alphonse." Al breaks free his embrace then and, bowing deeply, he says,

"Thank you for saving my brother's life."

"Don't mention it."

"I'm Major Louis Armstrong, Alphonse-san and I must say that I am touched by the strength of the bond you share with your brother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Major. 'Niichan, it's probably best that we hurry, you know how little aunty likes to be kept waiting!"

………………………………………………………………………………….…

"We can have something for you in three days, but it's not going to be a pleasant or a cheep procedure."

"I need my arm in order to perform my alchemy and so I'll endure the pain, pay what I have to pay, in order to continue walking forwards."

"What about you, Colonel?"

"I'm not about to be outdone by someone ten years my junior and as to the cost…"

"Though I am sure that you can afford it I would ask that you allow me to pay." This last is uttered by his father, the man leaning heavily against the doorway, his completion pail.

"You should not be out of bed." Al remarks as he settles himself into the crook of their father's left arm. Even with this added support he is limping heavily and discomfort he must feel with every step begins to show as a twitching of his smile, both these things as small signs of how rapidly the other's health is deteriorating.

"I had a want to see Edward again and I wished a moment of Colonel Mustang's time." The Colonel tenses, all but imperceptibly and then he says,

"You mentioned that you had wish to visit your mother's grave, Edward, why not do as such now and leave us old soldiers to reminisce?" He is tempted to reject the suggestion, yet there is something in the Colonel's voice that sates the desire almost the moment it forms.

………………………………………………………………………………

Al accompanies him to the grave, his presence as the gentlest of salves for the grief he feels always in this place.

"When I told Tousan about the attack on your life he was, as he has said, scared and yet the moment I mentioned the Colonel's name his attitude changed. Do you think that they know one another?"

"It is possible; Tousan was a state alchemist for a great while after all."

"Do you really think that they are reminiscing?"

"No and yet, judging by the Colonel's manner, its better that we do not question the matter further." There is a moment of silence and then Al is enquiring,

"Have you made any progress?"

"I met someone recently who specialised in bio alchemy and, for a while, I thought he might hold the answer…that was not quite the case and so I am afraid that I have nothing."

"I am certain that you shall succeed 'niichan."

"I am running out of time though, aren't I?"

"Tousan is strong, 'niichan, enough that, some days, I forget that he is suffering…it is true that the illness has not slowed But I do not believe that it is life threatening."

"Not yet at least." He regrets the words almost the instant they have left his lips, their negativity staining the previous levity and silencing his brother for the longest of times.

Eventually, his manner weighted still by depression, Al enquires,

"Will you let me come with you this time?"

"I have already made a powerful enemy in this quest, ototo and I am assured that, before I reach its conclusion I shall have made many more. To know that you're life, as well as my own, was under threat from those people…"

"What if that was no longer a problem?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Al refuses to meet his eyes when he replies, "It is nothing," and it is this, more than the numbed edge to his voice, that assures him that the other is lying. He wishes to press, to understand why Al would go so far as to threaten the trust between them and yet he is afraid of what he might learn…afraid of the lengths that his brother would go simply to be at his side always.

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T: Guesses anyone as to what's going to happen next? Ed's remark that he couldn't die until he'd reached his next birthday is the sort of statement younger children occasionally make…it also gave me the excuse to stress that he's soon going to be 14 rather than 13. As far as Roy's age goes I've used the stated age in the manga and used the anime timing to get his age at this point in time…something that sounds so much more complex than it actually was! Finally you will find out what Roy was talking about with Hoenheim but its going to be way down the line! Next chapter Thursday morning (ish) until then how about reviewing??


	8. Iron Carbide

8. Iron carbide.

T: Nothing to say today so I'm going strait to disclaimer…nothing you see here is mine and the warnings remain the same.

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He feels as though the every nerve in his right shoulder is on fire, this pain the greatest that he has ever experienced and yet he endures it with a smile on his face. This pain means that he is alive, that he is striding forward, braving chaotic waters, rather than standing idle and letting them wash about him.

Pikano had told him that it would take years for him to fully recover, that for months he would have to cope with a right hand so weak that it'd be all but useless. He'd stared at her, his mind focused internally on the 'growing up' he had done since last he has been seen her and he'd said,

"You've got a month to get my arm working and by next year I want this to be nothing other than a memory."

"Stubborn to the last…you truly are your father's children aren't you?" She'd been smiling as she'd said that, the expression taking years from her face and easing a little of the apprehension that'd begin to stir in his stomach.

………………………………………………………………………………

His father is asleep; his breathing shallow enough that it seems tonight shall be a 'good' night. He steps into the room and, now only faintly aware of the aroma of decay, he places a gentle kiss to the man's forehead,

"Forgive me, tousan, but I can not stand idle any longer." The words feel clumsy and a little too much as an excuse, yet he is not strong enough to leave without saying 'goodbye', nor assured enough in his motivation that he can commit fully to his purpose without guilt.

That guilt, in part, eased, he makes his way to his father's study and, after taking a moment to prepare himself, he withdraws a piece of chalk from his pocket.

He checks the array three times, once against his father's notes, the second against his own annotations and the third with as objective an eye as he can manage. Only once he is assured that the array is without fault does he place his hands, as well as their precious burden, into its centre.

Lights appear about him as fireflies, each as unique and entrancing as the last, then darkness overwhelms him.

………………………………………………………………………………..

"I would have thought your brother would come to say goodbye." Armstrong remarked as he glanced back towards the house.

"He's still angry with me for refusing to let him join us and this is his way of punishing me."

"Give me a few days and I'm certain he'll forget it, Edward." The colonel remarks, the pity in the other's eyes making him feel immature. He dislikes that feeling, dislikes how such a small thing has pulled away his adult mask and revealed him as the child that he truly is.

He wishes that feeling to go away, wishes to be again as he has this last month as his arm has healed and thus, a false smile on his lips, he enquires,

"So whose dirty work are you going to make me do when I get back to Central?"

"Hughes will be giving you your next assignment."

"But he's not my commanding officer."

"He is for the next two months."

"WHAT?!"

"Central command has taken Mrs Rockbell's advice very seriously and, though I have attempted to change their mind, I have been placed on 'medical leave'. Thus for the next two months you are being assigned to the research department and into Hughes's capable hands." It is a lie without, quite, being as such and he is about to pull the other up on this fact when a familiar voice calls out,

"Wait 'niichan!" Turning he is met with the sight of a large suit of armour charging towards him, its arms spiralling wildly in the air.

"Al?" The suit stumbles but feet from him, the helmet toppling off to reveal an empty void beneath. Fear ceasing his heart he enquires, "What have you done Al?" The suit bends to pick up its head and then, managing to look embarrassed, it says,

"I couldn't let you go again, 'niichan, couldn't sit in the house dreading that the next call would be to let me know that you'd died. I'd already begun looking into a way that I could come with you without being under threat…"

"In other words you've been sneaking a look a tousan's notes."

"Don't be angry 'niisan, I just wanted to make sure that my theory was sound before I put it into practice."

"So, to repeat my initial enquiry, what have you done?"

"I've separated a portion of my soul from my body and placed it into this suit, it's not a permanent connection which means that I can sever the link whenever I want and that, should the suit be destroyed, my soul is still safe."

"No matter the precautions you've taken this was still a dangerous thing to do, Al and you shouldn't have tried it, not simply for my sake."

"And you shouldn't be risking everything you're risking simply for Tousan's sake, but by saying that won't stop you, right?"

He looks at the suit of armour…at his brother…for a long while and then, a rye smile on his lips, he responds, "Right," the single word both as confirmation and as an admission of defeat.

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T: Hawkeye shall be running Roy's department for him while he's on 'medical leave', for those curious and, yes, the boy's should have stayed under her jurisdiction but Roy requested the transfer…why? Ah that would be telling! The suit transfer alchemy can be thought of as a refined version of what Al was capable of in the movie. Those are all my niggles, next chapter up on Sunday, until then why not review??


	9. Papyrus

9. Papyrus.

T: This chapter has a bit of a tease at the end, this mainly a ploy to keep you reading! I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny and yes, warnings remain the same. Ooh! Also, just to make very clear, Ed now has an automail right arm and Roy has an automail left leg…

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"…and that is the entire story."

"I see." Hughes glances up at the towering form of Al and, smiling brightly, he says, "Ed's not the only hard headed one in the family it seems. We'll have to think of a good cover story for you so that people don't pry too far."

"Thank you, lieutenant." Al remarks bowing deeply, the joints in his waist clunking together as he does as such.

"So what's my next assignment?"

"The first district library burned down while you were away…"

"You're going to ask me to help with the paperwork, aren't you?"

"It's an assignment not a request, Ed, and you're bound to learn something of value while you're dealing with the backlog."

"I'm being put out of the way, aren't I?"

"Don't be foolish, Ed."

"You're lying."

"Let it go, Ed." He knows, simply for the other's tone, that this is being done for his protection and yet he can still not keep the childishness from his voice as he says,

"Of course, sir, I'll just go and burry my head in the sand, shall I?"

…………………………………………………………………………….

He and Al had been working on the 'backlog' for a good five hours strait when lieutenant Hawkeye knocked on the doorway and thus, his voice sounds a little frazzled when he enquires,

"How can we help, lieutenant?"

"I wondered if you two would like to come and get a bite to eat."

"You and 'niichan go, lieutenant, I'll use the time to check on tousan and to get a little rest."

"I'll be back soon, Al."

The lieutenant remains quiet until they have ordered their food and then she says,

"Hughes told me that you are upset with this current assignment."

"I'm upset with the entire thing, lieutenant."

"The colonel had good reason to request your transfer, Ed."

"Yeh, he wanted me somewhere safe, somewhere where I couldn't mess things up even if I tried."

"That was not his motive, Ed."

"You could have fooled me."

"If you wish to understand the matter, Ed, then I suggest you go and talk to the woman who lives at this address." The lieutenant leans forward to pick up her coffee and, very discreetly, drops a piece of paper onto the table. As subtly as he can he retrieves the slip, places it into his back pocket and then enquires,

"Might I ask why you are doing this?"

"I do not think that it is right that you are being kept from this matter, Ed and I would be happier knowing that the colonel has support should he need it."

"Then why don't you help him?"

"It is not my place." There is a moment of silence and then, smiling brightly, she says, "I've acquired a pet while you've been away."

"Really?"

"It's an interesting story, actually; you see it'd been raining…"

……………………………………………………………………………………

"…the light is on, 'niichan." Al remarks as he comes to stand again at his side.

"Maybe we should check to see if everything is all right."

"Okay, but we'll go if the house is empty, right?"

"Of course, I'm not some common thief, Al." His brother looks a little dubious still and he hesitates a moment before his curiosity gets the better of him and he pushes the door open.

Books occupy every inch of the building, some stacked in tall, trembling, towers and others piled, carelessly, onto groaning shelves.

"It doesn't really look like anyone lives here, does it?"

"Maybe the lieutenant got the wrong address." He is just about to retreat when he catches a faint voice saying,

"Help me!"

After a little digging they come upon a young woman dressed in the causal manner of a civilian.

"Thank you for helping, I was busy organising the books when a pile collapsed in on me."

"You are welcome…"

"Where are my manners? I'm Sheska."

"Edward Elric and this is my little brother Alphonse."

"Ah, lieutenant Hawkeye told me that you might come and see me. One moment, please…" The woman disappeared amongst the pile of books and returned a moment later with a small armful of files. "These are the research notes of Dr. Marho, word for word."

"Dr. Marho?"

"The lieutenant told me that you were interested in reading the notes and, as I have a photographic memory, I offered to write them out for you."

"So you wrote all this from memory?"

"Yes."

"I know someone who would be very pleased to meet you!"

……………………………………………………………………………….

"'niichan who is Dr Marho?"

"Do you remember the man I told you about while we were in Risenbol?"

"The one who specialised in Bio Alchemy?"

"That was Dr. Marho…you see he was researching the philosopher's stone."

"If the stone is more than simply legend then it would be the perfect way to help tousan and so why did you say that Marho did not hold the answer?"

"Because the colonel warned me away from chasing after the stone and the misery contained within its legend."

"Why then has lieutenant Hawkeye put you back on its path?"

"I think that, to answer that question, we have to look further into this matter."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"It seems we will not have to encourage the boy, after all."

"Do not get too comfortable yet, Lust, the boy might yet let the quest go again."

"Then we give him a push."

"I do not see why we are relying on him in the first place."

"He is the best hope we have, Envy."

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T: The Homunculus shall make their first real appearance in chapter 12 but for now I give you this tiny tease! No niggles for me this chapter and so I'm just going to ask you to review and to let you know that the next chapter shall be up on Tuesday.


	10. Human Sacrifice

10. Human sacrifice.

T: Semi cliff-hanger for this chapter, would apologise but this one _was_ deliberate!! Warnings remain the same and I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny.

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"No!"

"'niichan, what is the matter?" The suit within which his brother's soul currently resides manages, somehow, to convey the concern that is in his brother's voice, a mystery that almost distracts him from what he has just discovered.

"It's taken me a month but I've finally translated Dr. Marho's notes…"

"And?"

"It seems that the main ingredient for the Philosophers stone is a living human being and that it would need numerous sacrifices to create even one stone."

"You said that Dr. Marho was performing this research while he was a state alchemist, which would mean…"

"Which would mean that the military is a part of this."

"I've not known the colonel or his men for long but I know that they would not condone something like this…there has to be something else, niichan, something that we're missing."

"We need a fresh eye."

"I agree, but who can we talk to? The colonel is still on medial leave, lieutenant Hawkeye made it clear that she wanted as little involvement in this matter as possible and lieutenant Hughes is busy coping with the increased workload that the colonel's absence has left him with."

"I'm afraid there is only one option…"

………………………………………………………………………………

Major Armstrong had listened to their story with his usual enthused zeal and, by the time they reach the conclusion of the tail, the elder man is weeping silently.

"I'm honoured that your first thought was to approach me with this crisis."

"How could we not think of a man of your baring, major?" He enquires, a false smile plastered onto his lips. He sidesteps the threat of a hug from the man and, the empty smile still on his lips, he enquires,

"Did you bring the maps I asked for?"

"Of course." The Major unfurls the map onto the table and, eager to move things forward, he steps closer.

"There are three state run research labs, right?" He enquires

"That's right. Dr. Marho was associated with laboratory no. 3." Armstrong responded.

"I visited that lab a few weeks after I got my licence; it seemed like an ordinary enough laboratory." Glancing at the map he spots a point of interest, "What about this building here?"

"That's the 5th laboratory but it was closed down years ago." Armstrong responded.

"That's our place."

"How have you come to that conclusion?" The major enquired.

"There's a prison next door. What better way to get live human beings than to use those intended for execution?"

"It seems even more likely that the government is involved." Al remarks.

"It's best not to leap to conclusions, boys, especially when there is a risk in doing as such."

"We can't gather more information without risking _something_." He remarks.

"You are going to do this with or without my permission, aren't you?" The major enquires.

"Yes."

"Then allow me to perform an investigation in order that the authorities focus their attention onto me."

"You've more to risk than me, major."

"I'll simply be asking a few simple questions, Edward, they can hardly arrest me for that."

"Thank you, major."

……………………………………………………………………………..

"There's a guard on the front gate."

"Hn, they're not doing a good job of hiding the shady nature of this place, are they?" He enquires.

"Suspicious or no we still need to find a way of getting by him, 'niichan."

"We could make our own door."

"We'd get caught out by the light of the transmutation."

"True enough I suppose. Do you wanna give me a leg up then?"

Once he's safely balanced on the wall he unfurls the barbed wire into a makeshift rope and waits for his brother to join him.

The front entrance is barred and, having no want to risk exposure now that they've come so far, he looks for another way inside.

Eventually he worms his way into the building using the air vents and, though he feels a little guilty for leaving Al behind, he is also glad for the chance to be alone with his thoughts.

The space inside the building is lit, not enough to draw attention or hint at constant use, but enough to make it clear that the area is anything but 'abandoned'.

Following the lights he ends out, eventually, in a room that has clearly been used for transmutation, the staining on the floor as the only tell of the main ingredient of those 'experiments'.

"It seems we have an intruder." Out of the darkness strolls a large gentleman dressed, from head to foot, in armour.

"I take it that you're guarding this place and that you're going to kill me?"

"Correct."

"You'll have to catch me first." He remarks as he strikes his palms together.

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T: The only major niggle here is the lack of bodyguards for the boys; this is because, by the time they get back to Central, Scar is already assumed dead. Please review and the next chapter will be up Sunday at the latest.


	11. Soul

11. Soul.

T: I feel vaguely guilty about leaving such a large update gap and so, as an apology, I'm releasing two chapters together! Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny.

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A sound from the shadows alerts him to another's presence and, unused still to the weight of his 'body', he narrowly misses the strike of a clever.

"Heh, it seems like this is going to be even easier than I thought." His attacker seems to be a large suit of armour and he knows, simply by instinct, that the suit is empty as his own.

"Who are you?"

"You can call me number 66, I'd give you my real name but it'd scare you and take the fun away. Tell ya what I'll let you know as I kill ya."

He is not a fighter and he understands well that this other would, once his 'body' was destroyed, follow after his brother. Thus he pulls himself up as much as he can and says,

"Try your best."

……………………………………………………………………………….

He easily dodges the first strike and retaliates with a low kick intended to unbalance his opponent. There is a hollow edge to the blow, something that alerts him to the 'true nature' of his opponent. Again he dodges the other's strike and, transmuting his arm into a blade, he lashes out for the other's helmet.

"Just as I thought, there's nothing inside the suit."

"You're fairly clever to figure it out."

"I know someone else like you and so it was a simple deduction."

"So there are people like me 'out there' are there?"

"Yeh, though it makes me a little sick to think that there are other people foolish enough to think of binding a soul to armour."

"I like you, kid and so I'd like to introduce myself properly. I'm the famous mass murderer 'Slicer' and, as a show of faith, I'll tell you something important." Slicer gestures to his empty helmet and the crimson mark etched onto the mettle. "If you destroy this mark you will destroy me."

"Are you sure it's wise to expose you're weak point?"

"Don't get too cocky, brat, I'm just adding a little excitement to proceedings." Slicer strikes again, the blow this time drawing blood.

"This battle is already mine." Slicer remarks after a few moments, "You're body will eventually tire and, fatigued, you shall open yourself out to me. I would not hope for rescue, either, for my ally is, at this moment, dealing with your companion." He knows that the statement is designed to unnerve him and yet he knows well that, even should the suit be destroyed, his brother is under no threat. It is an advantage he wishes to expose, yet he has no want to reveal the entirety of his brother's nature, thus, smiling, he enquires,

"How strong is your ally?"

"As strong as myself."

"Then there is nothing to fear. I've sparred for years with that guy and never won once."

………………………………………………………………………………..

He is punching out in a wild, unsophisticated manner and yet, for the moment, his every blow has landed true. This luck is not, however, destined to last, for a stone at his rear upsets his balance and opens his body out to his enemy.

"Now I'm gonna take a shoulder cut!" The other remarks as he strikes in between the elbow joint on the suits right arm.

He snaps the blade and strikes out again for the other. The head rolls loose of the body and, attempting to ingrain his voice with surprise, he says,

"Your body…"

"There was an unfortunate incident and I've been left with this body, something that I've got your companion to thank for." The other pauses a moment in order to reattach his head and then he says, "In life my name was 'Barry the chopper'."

"'Barry'…oh, the guy 'niichan rescued Winry from."

"That's right; I've come back from the dead to reap my vengeance."

"Is that so?"

"What's with that response? When you learn that a guy is after you or that a suit of armour is moving even though it's empty aren't you meant to be surprised?"

He lifts the suits helmet and gives Barry a moment to work through his surprise, before remarking,

"I find that reaction rather hurtful Barry-san."

"You should have said that you were a fellow inmate."

"I am no criminal."

"Then your brother has done this to you?"

"That is correct." The lie is convenient and, by the manner in which Barry responds to it, he is assured that the fiction it has created will prove useful.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Blood stains every inch of his clothes, his every nerve is screaming at him and, perhaps most worryingly, the joints in his automail arm have ceased.

He had attempted to gain back some form of advantage first by transmuting a pike, which Slicer had swiftly dismantled and then by creating a mock up of his brother's 'body' as distraction. The ploy had worked well and he had believed the battle won until Slicer had revealed that there were, in fact, two souls encased within the armour.

From that point he had been pushed, relentlessly, until the younger brother had pressed him tight against a wall with no visible means of escape. His mind had turned to the thought of his father, of the other dying a senseless death, this mental image enough to spur him to perform one final transmutation.

His hands pressed to the younger brother's torso he had summoned the destructive energy present within the act of transmutation and used it to shatter the metal beneath his hands.

"It seems that we have been defeated." The younger brother remarks. "Now all that remains is to destroy us."

"It's not in me to kill."

"We died the moment our souls left our bodies." The older brother states.

"I can not believe that, not when my brother's soul is, for the moment, separated from his body. My brother _is_ alive and so you must also be alive."

The older brother begins to laugh, the sound odd given the situation and, after a moment, he says,

"All our lives we have been disregarded as little more than baggage or trash, we've wanted always just for someone to notice us, to acknowledge our existence…how strange that we had to 'die' for that wish to be fulfilled."

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T: See you in the next chapter!! (Oh and feel free to review both chapters individually!!)


	12. Chimera

12. Chimera. 

T: The second part of my two chapter release and yes the warnings and disclaimers still apply.

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"What if your memories are simply created by your brother?"

"That is not possible! I am most defiantly, Alphonse Elric."

"Where is your proof?" He gives the impression of hesitating, all the while assessing the other's strength and searching for a weakness.

"Are you not the same?"

The other begins to laugh and remarks, "All I need is to kill, their deaths are as much a proof of my existence as I need!" before he leaps away.

Afraid that the other is chasing after his brother he follows hard on his heals and is brought into sight of the man who had taken Edward's arm.

Barry dives for the other, tarring at the fabric of his right sleeve and exposing the tattooed skin beneath.

"How can that be there?" Barry enquires.

"What do you mean?" Scar's enquires in return.

Barry has, by this point, edged towards the building, his back tensed for fear of his 'life'.

"You want to know the answer to that question? Want to know what you can about that arm?" Barry touches the wall and remarks, "You'll have to come inside if you do!" before the wall explodes.

He saves scar from injury, an instinctive action he swiftly regrets when Scar follows after Barry.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"I do not know much about the stone; however, I can lead you to where they conducted their tests." The older brother remarks.

"What about your brother?"

"You need not worry about me." The younger brother remarks as he places his fingers against his blood seal.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You have acknowledged our existence, have viewed us as human beings and yet, should our bodies return to us, we would loose that 'respect', would become again little more than murderers. I can not live with that truth hanging over my head and so I'm letting go."

"What about your brother? Do you expect him to live on without you?"

"You forgive me for going on a little early don't you, oniisan?"

"Of course. I'll be close behind you, ototo." The younger brother presses harder then and, but a moment later, the suits arm falls limp.

They journey a while in silence and then, curious, he enquires,

"Who bound your soul to that armour?" Any response that Slicer might have given is silenced by the arrival of Chimera and the battle that follows.

A sharp whistle eventually halts the attack and, from the darkness, walks a Chimera with a human's head.

The face is familiar to him and, wishing to confirm his suspicions, he enquires,

"Shou Tucker?"

"Edward Elric, the Shadow Alchemist, it is an honour."

………………………………………………………………………………..

"You do not have to hurt 'niichan."

"This arm was given to me by god in order to rid the world of heretics, your brother is one such individual and, if that were not enough, he searches also for the stone."

"The stone is the one hope we have of saving our father."

"Have you not heard the legend surrounding that stone?"

"They say that all those who've chased the stone have died."

"My brother yearned also to create the Philosophers Stone and he was killed for that desire." Scar says, his voice numb despite the grief in his eyes.

"I am sorry for your loss, Scar-san and it means that you shall understand why I can not let you hurt 'niichan."

"If you stand in my way then I shall be forced to destroy you also."

"You shall destroy a shell." The other looks uncertain a moment and then he enquires, "How is that possible?"

"Alchemy is capable of many things, Scar-san and when you are as determined as I…"

"As pleasant as this conversation is, I believe it is time to draw a close to proceedings." This last is uttered by a dark haired woman dressed in black and baring an Ouroboros tattoo on her chest.

"How can you be wearing that face?" Scar pauses and then, anger clear on his face, he enquires, "Could you be a Homunculus?"

………………………………………………………………………………

"In turn for 'sparing' my life they asked me to continue my research." Tucker concluded.

"By 'they' you mean the military?"

"You sound surprised and yet that is the way of the world, no man is beyond the desire of power, even I…" Tucker trails and, after a moment thinking to himself, he pulls aside the curtain that had, until that moment, divided the room. Beyond are several test tubes filled with varying stages of Chimera, each baring the same human face. Recalling what Hughes had told him of Tucker and his experiments he enquires,

"Is that your daughter?"

"In a sense…you see she lost her life because of my yearning to be powerful and, once she was gone, I realised that power was meaningless without her there at my side. My knowledge is base at best and so I have managed only to create these shoddy high breeds and to give myself this body…now that you are here, however…" Tucker lurches towards the far doorway and, in opening it, exposes a round room dotted with tubes that contain Marho's 'imperfect compound'.

There is a complex transmutation array sketched into the floor and, wishing to study it from a closer proximity, he crosses into the room.

"I am certain that this compound could be purified into a Philosophers Stone, however such a thing is well beyond my reach." Tucker remarks.

"I believe I could do it."

"As do I."

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T: Ed has seen Tucker's face in one of Hughes's files, for those curious. Next update shall be Tuesday at the latest, until then please R+R.


	13. Homunculus

13. Homunculus. 

T: If the title wasn't enough I'd like to announce that yes, the Homunculus will be the main attraction in this chapter! The slash makes its first tentative steps into the light this chapter (no I'm not going to spoil the pairing) but apart from that warnings remain the same! I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny!

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"Could you be a Homunculus?" Scar enquires.

"That's impossible!" The woman smiles at this and enquires,

"Did you not say that alchemy makes anything possible?"

"The Homunculus is an artificial life, a man who is not a man, such a thing goes against the teachings of god!" Scar strikes then and a battle ensues.

Both the woman and her companion move with a speed that is not 'human' and, when the man strikes at him, from a distance, simply using her fingers, he begins to believe that they are indeed Homunculus.

The woman pins him, eventually, against a wall and, smiling gently, she enquires,

"Your body is somewhere else, is it not?"

"How can you know such a thing?"

"Knowledge is simple, it is the practical application that we find 'difficult', that is why we need your brother and why we also need you." He 'feels' something attaching to the suits right leg and, glancing backwards, he is greeted with the sight of the bite of the woman's companion dissolving the mettle of the suit.

…………………………………………………………………………..

Tucker has given him the notes upon the room and already he begins to see how this research could have been used in a military concept.

"I am certain that I could do as you ask of me and yet I want no part in this."

"The people who created the 'water' you see about you are already dead, your hesitation will do nothing other than make their 'sacrifice' meaningless."

"That logic is about as dirty as the rest of this sordid mess and yet, if doing this means that I can save tousan, then I'll not hesitate." He brings his left hand against his immobile right and then sets it to the circle.

"Five points?" Tucker enquires.

"It seemed the logical step forward. Do you think that you could lift me to the ceiling?"

"Why?"

"Reading these notes its clear to me that the process would be aided by creating a second circle on the ceiling and using the reactive forces that will come from bringing the two together."

"You truly are gifted."

It is but the work of seconds to craft the circle onto the ceiling and he is feeing rather pleased with himself right up until the moment that the ceiling caves inwards.

Once the dust has cleared he is shocked to learn that he is no longer alone with Tucker.

"You knew they were here, didn't you?"

"The compound alone would not be enough to create a pure stone, surly you realised that from reading the notes."

"It was only one possibility…I could have transmuted the circle and killed all those people!"

"Look carefully, Shadow alchemist, these men are already dead."

"I do not…" Suddenly his eyes register what they've been seeing all along, "These men are all prisoners, but who authorised their removal?"

"I did." This last is uttered by a gentleman dressed in military blue and whose face he recognises all too well.

"General Grand was killed by Scar a long time ago and so you're better off choosing another face!"

"Thanks for the advice, shrimp." The creature shifts and he is looking at an asexual being who bares an Ouroboros tattoo above his navel. "My name is 'Envy', shrimp and, though I do so hate to fight, it seems I'm gonna have to knock you about a bit!" The other kicks him hard then, the blow knocking the wind from his lungs and sending him sliding across the floor.

Envy kicks him three times more before a pleasant female voice remarks,

"I think that should be enough, Envy."

"It's only enough when he's dead!"

"Envy!"

The creature is grabbing onto his hair then and, smiling wildly, he remarks, "Next time I'll have you for certain, shrimp, you're close to 'that guy' after all," before he relinquishes his hold and steps to one side.

"It is a pleasure to meet you at last, shadow alchemist, I am 'Lust', that is 'Greed' and I believe you know our other guest." Lust remarks as she gestures to the broken form of his brother.

"Al?"

"'niichan, these people are Homunculus."

"Homunculus, but how?"

"We can discuss the theory later, for now there are more pressing matters." Lust remarks.

"You mean the philosophers stone?"

"Correct." Lust patiently replies.

"How do you fit into this?"

"We have been running things, dropping hints and encouraging alchemists who seem capable of producing a completed stone. We thought to coerce you also, Edward Elric, but you've done everything that we wanted without the need for us to push."

"Why the hell are you so interested in the stone?"

"We wish to become truly human and the stone shall allow us to achieve that wish."

"I will not destroy innocent lives."

"I had thought that that might be your answer." Lust remarks as she picks Slicer's head from up off the floor. Opening the helmet she presses hard on the blood rune and then tosses the thing back to the floor.

"This action will not frighten you, your brother's soul is not, after all, bound to this suit and yet that is something that I can swiftly alter." Bending she places a sharp finger nail to the suits chest and scratches a partial rune into the mettle. "Your blood taints this finger still, Edward Elric, and should I complete this rune your brother's soul would bind itself to this armour…would leave his true body as the empty shell." She is telling the truth and, fear driving his actions; he first repairs the ceiling and then coerces the prisoners into the circle.

His brother is shouting for him to stop and yet he can not now do as such, not when there is so very much at risk.

His fingers are but inches from the circle when the wall to his right explodes, the precious containers of 'Red Water' crumbling also.

"Take your brother and get out here!" He does not pause to question why Scar is saving him, but rather gains his feet and all but runs to his brother's side.

Feet from his goal his boots collide with the 'Red Water' and his alchemy 'possesses' his body.

He is faintly aware of gentle hands settling into his hair, of the smell of musk in his nose, of a familiar voice speaking to him with compassion and then a heat is engulfing both his lips and his mind.

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T: Nothing to say without actively spoiling things! Next chapter up Thursday and until then why not review?


	14. Truths

14. Truths

T: A day early, go me! I just wanted to say, before I got into the more mundane stuff, how appreciative I am of all your encouraging reviews and your enthusiasm for this fic! That out of the way, warnings remain the same and I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny!

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He wakes to the smell of disinfectant and the looming shadow of Armstrong hovering above him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore, where is Al?"

"The suit is out on the roof of the hospital and his soul is, for an hour at least, back where it 'belongs'."

"I see."

"What happened, Edward?" The door crashes inwards before he has time to answer that tentative enquiry and he sends a well of positive feeling in Hughes's direction.

"Ed, it's great to see you!"

"Lieutenant."

"I don't know about you, Ed, but I'm feeling a little parched. Major how about you go and make us some Armstrong family lemonade; I hear that it's amazing!"

"It'll be my pleasure."

Once the other is gone Hughes settles down onto the edge of the bed and, his manner sobering all but instantaneously, he enquires,

"Will you tell me what happened?"

"I went to the 5th laboratory and met people like Al and Homunculus."

"Homunculus?"

"That's right. One of them, Envy was its name, could change its form at will and when first I saw it…when first I saw that individual it looked like general Grand."

"It's better you forget about this, Ed, forget everything to do with the 5th laboratory and let me deal with the matter." He is about to object when the door crashes inwards yet again and Winry steps into the room.

"Al told me that you had been hurt, that your arm had ceased up…why didn't you tell me yourself, Ed?"

"Winry…"

"Ah so this is the infamous Winry! How would you like to come to a birthday party?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Of course, where are my manners? I'm Maes Hughes, Ed's landlord, confident and current commanding officer!"

"A pleasure."

"So how about it? You see my little girl is four today and I'm certain she'd love to see you at her party! The more the merrier as I always say!"

"I'm not sure…"

"You'll never get anywhere with that attitude!" Hughes grabs Winry by the hand then and drags her, all but bodily, from the room. "I'll make sure she's back by the afternoon, Ed."

…………………………………………………………………………

"Al?" He nudges the suit gently with his foot and is met with the gentle response of,

"I'm here, 'niichan."

"Winry-nee said that you spoke to her."

"I knew that she'd want to know about your arm but I didn't think she'd take the news so badly."

"She thinks that we're beginning to cut her from our lives."

"It's true, you know."

"I know…do you think we should tell her about you?"

"Of course," There is a moment of silence and then Al says, "You should not have given in to their demands, 'niichan."

"I didn't have a choice."

"Yes you did."

"The moment your soul was sealed to that armour you would have become as vulnerable as Slicer and she would have used that against me. It was precisely for that reason that I didn't want you coming with me, that I wanted to do this on my own!"

"You can't control my life forever, 'niichan."

"I know that, it's just…it is bad enough that tousan is fading away from me, if you were to leave me as well…"

"I'm not going anywhere, 'niichan." His brother pulls him down into a hug then and, though the mettle of the armour is cold, he feels warmer for the contact. "Lust could not have known the weakness of my transmutation without having seen the notes herself, which means…"

"It means that, somehow, tousan is involved in this mess."

"Maybe…"

"Al?"

"Tousan's notes mention another alchemist, one who aided him during his youth and who would hold the same knowledge as himself."

"Then it's clear that our next step is to talk to this alchemist."

"Her name is Dante and I'm certain that, if we talk to the Colonel, we can learn where to find her."

His skin flushes for the mention of the other and, wishing to distract his brother before he notices this fact, he says, "How about I fix you up? It's better that Winry is only fretting about the one of us, after all." Before he sets his left hand against the armour and, using the iron from the railing that surrounds the roof, restores the mettle back to its original state.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Mr. Hughes made me realise that it was unfair of me to be angry with you, especially considering that you were only trying to keep me from worrying and that, had it been something truly serious, you would have phoned me right after talking to Al."

"That man is a hell of a lot smarter than he makes out, isn't he?"

"You know that he thinks highly of you, don't you?"

"Yeh, I know."

There is a moment of silence and then he enquires,

"Can I tell you something, Winry-nee?"

"Of course, but you might want to wait a moment." She pushes hard on his automail arm then, as the joints click back together, his sensibilities are swamped by a wave of pain. "Okay, I'm listening."

"Al didn't know that I was hurt because I called him but because he was there when it happened."

"How is that possible?"

"He's been spending a lot of time shut away on his own recently, right?"

"More and more each day."

"That's because he's using his alchemy to separate his soul from his body and place it into the shell of a suit of armour."

"Isn't something like that risky?"

"All alchemy is risky, neesan, but Al has done all he can to make sure this procedure is as risk free as he can make it."

"Obaachan is right you are both as hard headed as one another." She is smiling, the expression easing the tension in his spine and allowing him to release the breath he had been holding.

"Do you have something else to tell me as well?" She enquires after a long moment of silence.

"Something else?"

"Something in regard to a certain Colonel?" Again his skin flushes and Winry chuckles a little for the response before informing him, "I know it came as a bit of a surprise to you that someone like him could care for you that way, but you can't pretend it never happened."

"Then what do I do? I don't know how to treat him or how I feel about him."

"Treat him as you always have, Ed, it'll be the most comfortable for the both of you…as to how you feel…give yourself time and I'm sure an answer will come."

"Thank you, Winry-nee."

"You're welcome, ototo."

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T: No niggles, next update Sunday, please review!


	15. Shield

15. Shield.

T: A big cliff hanger for this chapter but, apart from this the warnings remain the same. I still own nothing other than the plot bunny.

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In the end acting as he always had towards the colonel had proven impossible and, after a good three conversational attempts full of little more than spluttering, half formed, sentences and wild blushing he'd turned to Hughes instead.

It'd taken the Lieutenant three months to gather any concrete evidence on Dante, time that he spent fulfilling small assignments and forcing himself to come to terms with the embarrassment he felt always now about the colonel.

Eventually Hughes had given him a small folder containing an address and the back catalogue of the woman's many achievements as an alchemist and, once he had completed his most recent assignment, he and Al had taken the train out to meet her.

Dante had proven a little less than he had come to expect from reading her file, age having made her seem defenceless and very frail. There was, however, a power still in her voice and as she talked to him of her advancements in medical alchemy it had not seemed so foolish an idea that she could be responsible for the Homunculus.

When he had felt comfortable enough in doing as such he had asked the woman about the stone and, smiling gently, she had enquired,

"Are you Hoenheim's sons?"

"So you did know tousan."

"He and I worked together for a little while and then your father left in order to pursue the stone."

"Why would tousan be searching for the stone?"

"Hoenheim was a very passionate alchemist and he wished to learn and experience everything that his art had to offer. The stone was a physical representation of that wish and there was very little that he wouldn't have done to possess it."

"I do not believe that you knew tousan all that well if you can say such a thing without doubt in your voice."

"Your father is very capable illusionist and I do not believe that anyone can claim to know him."

He little likes the implication in her words, or that some part of him finds them believable, and, an irrational anger filling his mind he says, "I shall not listen to you undermine him any further," before he takes himself from the room.

………………………………………………………………………………

He has walked the length of Dante's garden, pausing here and there to examine the unusual flowers growing within her borders. The exercise has soothed away the childishness of his initial reaction to her words and allowed him to create a calmer, more adult, response.

Turning back he is met with two gentlemen, one whom is as a stranger to him and the other…

"Kimberly?" The other's smile is dangerous, something that further intensifies the 'mad man' aura that surrounds him.

"The famous shadow alchemist, Edward Elric, what a pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, so you're the boy that the others are so wrapped up in." The other remarks as he steps further into his personal space.

"Stay back!" He remarks as he strikes his hands together.

"Do your worst." The stranger counters as he steps close enough that he can feel the warmth of the other's breath on his face.

Transmuting his automail into a blade he strikes out at the other's shoulder.

There is the sharp crack of metal hitting metal and then the strangers hands are tangled amid his braid.

"I'm Greed and that is my 'mightiest shield'." Greed informs him before he strikes him hard across the back of the head.

………………………………………………………………………………….

He had been apologising for his brother's behaviour when the intruders had struck and thus he had had little chance to counter before one of the group had ceased Dante into a head lock.

There had only been one real course of action after that and, after dropping into one of the many offensive poses that Hawkeye had been teaching him, he says,

"I shall not let you hurt her!"

The captors exchange glances and then the largest of the three says,

"Come with us and no one has to be hurt."

"I promised myself that I would not again leave 'niichan's side and so, despite your threat, I can not come with you."

"So be it." The largest member of the group swings for him, the blow high enough to knock the armours head from its shoulders and, the hollow of the suit now exposed, the female of the group slips inside and 'ceases control'.

His movements restricted now by this possession it takes but an instant for him to be hoisted onto the largest member's shoulders and carted from the house.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"I can not have you following after us and causing trouble and so I'm afraid that I'm going to have to incapacitate you." The metal like structure of Greed's 'mightiest shield' laces itself over the other's hands and, a smile still firmly on his lips, Greed strikes out for his legs.

He can not squash the instinctual reaction to flinch or the embarrassment that swamps him as he realises that the strike has not landed.

Greed has halted with his fingers but a breath from his right leg, his eyes intent on the window to the right of them

Twisting himself a little he can just make out the wizened form of Dante and that of her young apprentice.

He wishes to know why Greed seems to very afraid of this woman and why Dante's eyes are bright with something other than fear, yet a stranger rounds the corner, Al's suit thrown over one shoulder and Greed remarks, "It seems it is time to leave," before the other strikes his leg hard enough to shatter bone.

Thus incapacitated he can do nothing other than watch as his brother is stolen from him.

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T: Dun dun dun….don't worry the next update is Monday! Until then why not review??


	16. Immortality

16. Immortality.

T: Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny!

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Dante has bound his leg in silence, refusing to answer his questions and meeting all of his suppositions with a warm, yet insincere, smile.

Once his leg id fully supported she takes a seat opposite him and says,

"I found this in the garden."

She passes a matchbook into his care and he stares a while at is gaudy design before enquiring,

"You brought them here, didn't you?"

"If I had, then do you not think that I would have asked them to kidnap him somewhere away from the house?" Her smile fades and, truly serious at last, she says, "There are wars going on outside my forest, petty conflicts where innocent people are loosing their lives. I yearn for a world where that is not so, where every person is entitled to their beliefs and to live their lives without fear of attack or hatred, however, while people continue to pursue the stone all that this world shall know…all that you shall ever know…is strife."

"How can you claim to wish for people to live their lives freely and then deny them the right to hope?"

"You believe the stone instils hope?"

"I believe that the stone has given me hope, that the ideal it promotes has instilled a sense of hope and of purpose into many others."

"Yet it has also driven men to war and caused unnecessary conflict."

"There will always be those who yearn for war, Dante-san, such is the nature of humanity."

"It seems that you are your father's son." She has meant the words as an insult and yet it seems to him as the greatest of compliments and, smiling, he responds,

"It seems that I am."

…………………………………………………………………………..

"I am sorry that I have to stay here within you…"

"I understand and don't worry, I've gotten used to how odd it feels having you here." There is a long moment of silence and then he enquires, "How did you come to be this way?"

"We were soldiers in the Ishibalian civil war, we were injured in battle and we were brought to the 5ht laboratory to be experimented upon. They forgot us, eventually, and we would have rotted there if Greed-san had not rescued us."

"Greed-san?"

"That would be me." This last is uttered by the gentleman stood in the doorway and, smiling wildly, he says, "I hope that we can be friends, kid and that, as friends, you'll want to tell me how you attached your soul to that suit of armour." Greed rakes a hand through his hair as he says this, the action drawing his attention to the tattoo on the other's hand.

"An Ouroboros tattoo?"

"You've a good eye, kid."

"Could it be that you're like Lust and the others?"

"I'm a Homunculus, yes, but I want something other different from they desire."

"Which is?"

"The immortal body."

"I will not help you."

"You've not got a choice, kid. You see I want to experience everything life has to offer, want to possess everything there is to posses but I can't do that in this body. To understand the secret of your immortal soul and to gain my ideal life through such knowledge, I will willingly tare you apart!"

"You may dismantle me if you wish, however…" He slams his hands down onto the transmutation circle he has been sketching and, as the scythe he has created swings across Greed's middle he says, "However, you hurt 'niichan and I can not forgive you from that fact."

"A brave statement, kid, however this body does have a few perks." Greed remarks as the wound across his stomach begins to steal itself up.

……………………………………………………………………………..

He has gained a set of directions from the locals and is honing in on the Devil's Nest when he comes face to face with major Armstrong.

"Edward Elric, why are you here?"

"Someone stole Al from me."

"A Homunculus?"

"How did you…"

"Know? Higher command learned of the situation in the 5th laboratory and they ordered us to track down both the escaped 'Chimera' and their leader."

"How did they find out?"

"It seems my questioning roused a few suspicions and I apologise for that fact, Edward."

"You don't have to apologise, major…now if you'll excuse me!"

He eventually tracks Greed down to a small back room in the bar and, after making a dramatic entrance, he says,

"Give back my brother!"

"Tell me the secret behind the transference of his soul and I shall gladly give him back."

"No!" Striking his hands together he transmutes a portion of the floor into a shower of sharp spikes.

Each spike lands its mark and yet Greed remains unharmed,

"Didn't you learn the first time, kid; you can't break through my shield!" Greed remarks as he dusts off his clothes. "Someone as driven as you should understand, kid, I've got a wish that I'm chasing after, one that I can't reach with this body and so I want to change my form, something you're brother's secret can help me do."

"I understand what it is to yearn for something, that much is true and yet that doesn't mean we're suddenly friends or that I'm going to tell you how Al is as he is."

"I see." Greed lashes out for his broken leg then, the blow enough to shatter the splint and, thus, to bring him to his knees.

"Do you know how a Homunculus is created, kid?"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"A great deal. You see whenever an Alchemist fails an attempted human transmutation a Homunculus is created of the one they've tried to resurrect. I exist because one of your sort broke the greatest taboo and so it's the responsibility of one of your kind to either destroy me or make me better. As you've not got it in you to kill how about you take the second option and tell me how to create an immortal body."

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T: Another chapter tomorrow, until then why not Review??


	17. Choice

17. Choice.

T: Warnings remain the same and yep, I still own nothing other than the plot bunny.

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Greed's logic is flawed and he is jut about to comment on this fact, to push both himself and his opponent further, when one of the walls blows up.

Amid the smoke he can just make out the form of Kimberly, clutching hard to a cloth bag and an unfamiliar solider.

"So you have betrayed me!" Greed remarks before turning to his companions and saying,

"Let's get out of here!" The largest of the Chimera lifts Al over his shoulder and again he is forced to watch as his brother is taken from him.

"You've got to stop them." He says as the strange solider bends down to him.

"I'm afraid that is not possible, Elric-san."

"Why the hell not?"

"I've got orders from lieutenant Archer to bring you to him for questioning."

"When the hell did Archer become a lieutenant?"

……………………………………………………………………………………

Already two of the Chimera have fallen to the blasts from the soldiers guns and there is now desperation behind the pace that the remaining members are keeping. As they round a corner the wall to their right explodes and major Armstrong comes to block their path.

"Major!" The Chimera who has been carrying him places him to one side and, making a guttural noise, strikes out for the major.

The battle soon becomes intense, with the major stripping away his shirt and the Chimera showing his 'true face'.

"You are still as impressive as I recall, major." The Chimera remarks and then he goes on to explain, "I was a grunt in the Ishibalian war."

"So you are a fellow solider? Somehow I feel less inclined to hurt you." The Chimera and the major stand watching one another fro a great while, this impasse being only by the approach of the other soldiers.

"Stand aside, major!"

"If you stand down now you will not be hurt." The major informs the Chimera.

"We're not going to die yet!" Greed counters before the large Chimera shatters the wall and they use the ensuing chaos to escape.

………………………………………………………………………………….

He has used various materials within his 'holding cell' to create a mock-up of his form and then, despite the protests from his newly supported leg, had made his escape.

How dare military command allow someone as obnoxious and self centred as Archer gain a foot on the ladder and how dare that self centred bastard instruct his men to restrain him!

Once he had Al safe again at his side he was going to arrange a meeting with Bradley and make him see the error of his ways…or at least that was what he wished he could do. The truth was that, as long as he was a state alchemist, he had to remain loyal to the military; had to keep his head down and allow Archer free reign. The knowledge makes him sick to the stomach and yet, for the sake of his father's health, he was willing to sacrifice even his precious integrity.

………………………………………………………………………………..

They had made it to the relative safety of a disused hut when they were caught, not by the soldiers, but by two of the 'enemy' Homunculus.

"Hello, Greed, I'm told that you know Gluttony and I'm the current Lust."

"Get to the point."

"The one who sealed you away is displeased that you have broken free and they have asked us to either take you back or to destroy you."

"I see." Greed takes a step away from the pair and, sensing a change in the mood, his captor sets him again to his feet.

"Get Martel out of here." He remarks before he joins his companion to form a divide between Greed and the other Homunculus.

"We'll stand and fight, Greed, get yourself free." The other looks uncertain and then, glancing in his direction, he says,

"Come on!"

They run for a great while and then, brining them to a standstill, Greed says,

"I'm going to have to say goodbye, kid, make sure she doesn't go anywhere until sunrise."

Martel resists this instruction for a great while and then, despair in her voice, she says,

"He's going to die." He has no words to comfort her and they lapse into silence.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

He emerges in a very familiar forest and, after following Greed's footprints, he comes again into the shadow of Dante's house.

The windows of the woman's study are a glow with the light of a transmutation and, suddenly very alert, he runs, as fast as he can, to the room.

Greed is stood at the edge of a transmutation circle, fatigue clear in his face and yet, for the moment, all he can concentrate on is the blood soaked corpse of the houses owner strew, carelessly, to one side.

"Did you kill her?"

Greed stares at him a great while, them, smiling insincerely, he replies,

"If that's what you want to think."

"What about Al? What have you done with my brother?"

"You'll have to deal with me, one way or another, before you get an answer."

"Kill you or improve you?"

"Trouble is that you don't want to improve me and I don't want to risk you taking the other option." Greed strikes out for the glove over his automail hand, tarring the cloth and the transmutation circle sketched within it.

"So you're worried enough about me to try such a dirty trick, are you?"

"I learned, long ago, never to underestimate a determined man."

"It's a sensible ethos and you'd have done well by it if I was doing this all by myself." A smile on his lips he strikes his hands together and informs the other, "However, I've got people watching my every step, people clever enough to put a transmutation circle on the inside of my automail," before he places his palms to the Homunculus's chest.

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T: Fear Winry's intelligence…this is all I have to say in regard to this chapter! I'm hoping to get another up tomorrow before I go on holiday but, should this not prove the case, I'll be updating Sunday. Review please!


	18. Mortality

18. Mortality.

T: Thank silly pre-holiday excitement for the fact that this chapter is up today rather than Sunday! Warnings remain the same and nothing you see here is mine apart from the plot bunny.

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Greed recoils from the touch and, glancing down at his skin, he enquires,

"What have you done?"

"It seemed to me that your 'mightiest shield' was coming from somewhere and, as Homunculus as made of the same basic components as us, I quickly understood that you were hardening the carbon in your body. Once I'd come to that conclusion the rest was simple." He informs the other.

"I see, so you're finally facing me as your true self, are you? Let me return the honour." Greed's skin shifts then and he is facing, at last, the true extent of the other's 'mightiest shield'.

They fight long and hard after that, Greed constantly searching for a way to exploit the weakness of his supported leg and he transmuting the other's shield into a more vulnerable material. Eventually Greed swings a little too wildly and, seeing his chance, he strikes again for the other's chest.

Greed sinks to his knees and he watches, numbly, as blood begins to flow from the wound.

"You got me." The other remarks.

"What do you mean? You can't die, not just like that."

"If only that were true."

"Where is Al?"

"I let him go a while back…kid; I need to tell you something important."

"I'm listening."

"We Homunculus are born when an alchemist attempts human transmutation. We are weakened when we're close to the remains of our 'original bodies', that's our Achilles heel."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"So that you can defeat them." The other responds.

"Aren't they like you?"

"I'm greedy, kid, which means that I'm out only for what's best for me…they sealed me away for years and they wanted to do that again, however, I can't go back and I can't let them decide how I died."

Greed's body spasms and, as the other dissolves into 'red water' he understands that this is happening because of him.

Understands that he has, at last, been forced to take a life in order to achieve his goal.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Al has not asked for an explanation and he, in turn, has not pressed his brother for his portion of the tale.

They are stood now before Dante's gravestone the silence that has fallen between them all but deafening in its intensity.

"I searched everywhere but I could not find Dante's assistant."

"Lyra, her name was Lyra." Al responds.

There is another moment of silence and then he says,

"I want to go to Ishibal."

"Why?"

"It's the only way we're going to understand this mess…the only way…"

"The only way that we're going to know if she was right about tousan?"

"I guess."

……………………………………………………………………………..

They had happened upon a train full of Ishibalian refugees and, not one to squander an opportunity, he'd used his alchemy to staunch the water pip and buy them a little more time.

It'd taken a while to convince the refugees that he was anything other than an enemy but, eventually, he'd felt comfortable enough to state,

"I've been lead to believe that the Ishibalian's once created a Philosophers Stone."

"Where did you hear such a thing?" Enquires the 'leader' of the group.

"I talked a while to Scar-san and something in his words lead me to draw this conclusion." Al replies.

"That man is a traitor and clearly he has told you such a thing to sully the name of Ishibal." This last is uttered by a young boy crouched next to the leader and who's arms are wrapped securely about the shoulders of another, younger, boy.

"Though it is true that that man has left the path, Rio, that does not mean that he is lying." The leader responds.

"Then is it true?" He enquires.

"Perhaps and though I can tell you nothing about the incident there is a man living at the edge of Kishua who might be able to help."

"Thank you." He is just about to push himself back out of the train when the leader remarks,

"Take Rio and Rick with you."

"Why are you helping me?"

"You shall not find the gentleman I speak of on your own and I know enough of you, Shadow Alchemist, to know you are not quite as the other's of your kind."

"I'm gonna spoil you a little for that compliment!" He remarks before he strikes his hands together and then sets them to the side of the train.

He secures a vehicle in the ensuing chaos and they are almost 'home free' when Sergeant Fury rounds the corner. Thinking on his feet he strikes the other, once, about the chin, bows deeply, offers an apology and then makes good his escape.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

They've been travelling for a little while when the topic of conversation turns to the matter of warfare.

He listens to the boys tell the tale of their mother and their misunderstanding of her actions and then he remarks,

"I used to think that it was impossible to kill, that even if someone was my enemy, or stood in my way, I would not have it in me to end their existence….then I was made to choose between saving my brother or taking a life and suddenly I understood that everyone is capable of that act, that everyone has their price. The difference between those we call 'murderers' and those such as myself is that we feel guilty for our actions and that we shall never be able to wash that sin from our skin." The boys are watching him now with a mix of fear and awe and he is assured that the words, maudlin though they were, have served their purpose… Have taught the boys that not everything can be divided into 'good' and 'evil'.

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T: There we go! Next chapter Sunday, until then why not review?


	19. War

19. War.

T: Hidey hi! Am back from my hols and well and truly refreshed! All warnings remain the same for this chapter and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny!

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"It looks as though there has been a war here." Al remarks as he glances down the hill to their destination.

"How would you know what war looks like?" He counters.

"He's right." Rick remarks, his eyes glazing over for the fear contained within his memories, "This is precisely how Ishibal looked during the war." The boy is shaking uncontrollably and, after a moment of this, his brother strikes him hard about the face.

"It's okay, ototo, it's okay." He remarks as he furls the other into a tight embrace.

Once the pair are again calm he enquires,

"Let's go, shall we?"

"We can't go down there." Rio remarks.

"Why?"

"Because the ground has been defiled."

"Then Alphonse will stay here and keep you safe, right, Al?"

"Right." His brother responds before he huddles a little closer to the boy's and enquires, "What sort of a woman was your mother?"

……………………………………………………………………………..

There is a design etched into one wall that precisely matches that which had been scratched into the floor of the 5th laboratory and that existed also upon the skin of Scar's right arm.

He is just puzzling over what this connection could mean when a bullet beds itself but inches from the top of his head.

"Come out, Edward." This last is uttered in Lieutenant Hawkeye's patient manner and, comprehending well that he has been 'found out' he does as instructed.

He is taken back to a well established military command post, given both food and water and then he is taken to Lieutenant Hawkeye's office.

"I take it that the colonel had a hand in this affair?"

"That is correct."

"Then shouldn't I be talking to him?"

"He has already returned to Central."

"He doesn't waist much time, does he?"

"He is efficient when he wishes to be."

"So what actually happened here?"

"We were ordered to move on a small group of Ishibalian refugees and it was proving a simple task right up until the moment that someone got shot. The crowd instantly began to panic and the situation would have swiftly dissolved into another massacre if not for the colonel."

"It doesn't seem to me that he did all that much."

"He does not have the same form of freedom as you experience, Edward, for he is restrained by the responsibility attached to his position and the goal that he has set himself."

"I know, Lieutenant and I understand how frustrating such restrictions can be." He smiles brightly and then enquires, "Did an older guy come in with the other refugees?"

"He did."

"Could I see him?"

"Of course."

………………………………………………………………………………….

"Mother was a compassionate woman, despite the limitations of her eyesight she volunteered to help at the hospital."

"Hospital?"

"She worked there during the war, helping the doctors and caring for the patients."

"The doctors…were their names Rockbell?"

"That's right. They always treated Ishibalian's, though mother said that they were eventually killed for that kindness."

"I am a friend of their daughter."

"Then could you tell her how thankful we were for their help and how sad we were when we heard of their deaths?"

"Of course."

………………………………………………………………………………….

"This is the third time that someone has asked me about the stone."

"The third time?"

"Scar, his older brother and now yourself."

"Then Scar's brother made a stone?"

"No, in the end he was too compassionate to use the method that I taught him."

"How did you learn of the stone and of the way to create it?"

"Long ago the Ishibalian race practiced the 'grand art', a knowledge that was passed down the generations until our race 'saw the light' and those who practiced the art became outcasts." The man smiles and, touching the marks on his face, he says, "This is the mark of one who has practiced the art, of one who has become an outcast."

"So what is this 'Grand Art'?"

"It was a power that allowed the user to change one thing to another."

"Alchemy?"

"It surprises you that a 'backward' race such as the Ishibalians could be capable of something like alchemy, doesn't it?" He knows the man is speaking the truth and he feels so very tiny for that fact. The man does not, however, allow him time to apologise for, his smile fading, he says,

"To create a stone one must take into their selves all the bitterness and malice of those who live within a city at war."

"Is this what you told Scar?"

"Yes and at first he seemed as horrified as his brother, but then…then he realised that the stone would give the people of Ishibal power enough to oppose the military and find true peace at last."

"Then you believe he will use this method?"

"It seems possible, yes."

"Thank you for your time."

…………………………………………………………………………………

"These are the photos of the injuries inflicted upon the soldiers during the 'fire fight'" Lieutenant Hawkeye remarks as she passes him a small pile of pictures.

"These aren't bullet wounds."

"No, they are not and yet I can not think of what could have caused such an injury."

"A Homunculus."

"Homunculus?"

"There is one, 'Lust' as she calls herself, who can stretch her fingers into small blades which would cause this form of wound. Lieutenant Archer is chasing after her at the moment and both he and major Armstrong would be able to back up this assessment."

"Why would the Homunculus wish to do something like this?" He is about to tell the Lieutenant all that he knows of Lust and her motives when the sound of a scuffle outside interrupts him.

Stepping outside he is met with the towering form of his brother, as well as the two Ishibalians, struggling to break free the grip of some unknown soldiers.

"What's going on here?" He enquires.

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T: No niggles, next chapter tomorrow, why not review in the mean time?


	20. Strife

20. Strife. 

T: Nothing you see here is mine other than the plot bunny and the warnings remain, as always, the same.

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"The lieutenant has agreed to overlook your 'crimes' and I've also gotten her to agree to let those jailed here free. However, they'll have to be moved on to an encampment."

"What about you?" Rio enquires.

"I'm following after Scar."

"Are you going to kill him?"

"I told you before that I've no want to kill anyone but that doesn't mean that I'm gonna stand by and let him commit murder."

"I do not think that I could hurt someone, not even if doing as such meant saving another life." Rio remarks.

"Then I am glad for you." He smiles then and, looking the other in the eye, he says, "Do not let your mother's beliefs tie you down, Rio. Find your own path, your own goal and strive towards it," before he goes to stand at his brother's side.

"Their mother worked for Winry's parents." His brother informed him as they watch the pair climb up onto the transport.

"Did she."

"They asked me to give Winry a message and…"

"And?"

"They told me how it had happened, how one of the patients had killed Winry's mother and that, but a day later, her father had killed himself."

"Aunty always told us that they died together."

"She must have done as such for a reason and we have to respect that choice." Al remarks.

"You are right. Give Winry their message but let us keep the other matter between ourselves."

"I'll go and have a word with her in a moment; firstly, however, I want to know where we are going next."

"We're going to Ishibal. I have to stop Scar before he creates a stone."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"It seems that we pushed it a little too hard." He remarks as he glances at the crumbled remains of their vehicle.

"What are we going to do now, 'niichan?"

"All the roads have been closed off by military personal and we're in the middle of no-where, which means that we've no other choice but to walk."

An hour later, dehydrated and hungry beyond belief, he stumbles across a small desert town.

"I'll get some food and then we'll secure a vehicle out of here." He remarks once he has taken a large draft of water from the fountain at the centre of the village.

"Oniichan, do you not think it would be better to think things through a little, not just on this occasion, but in others also? For example, we are mean to be helping tousan get better and I can not see how chasing after Scar-san will achieve that goal."

"You have another suggestion?"

"I think we should find the Homunculus."

"Because, of course, they'll help us cure tousan."

"You're too stubborn to see things anything other than your way!"

"That's not true!"

"No? Then why wouldn't you hear Dante-san out and why are you so very desperate to ignore everything that links tousan to the stone?"

"You were the one to discount tousan from the picture after the incident at the 5th laboratory."

"Only because there was the possibility that Dante was responsible."

"You believed her, didn't you?" His brother remains silent and, disgusted, he walks away from him.

…………………………………………………………………………...

He has found a quite little restaurant tucked away in a backstreet and has settled down for a quite bite to eat.

He has been sat there only a few minuets before he turns to ask his brother a question and, finding him absent still, stares sulkily at his coffee.

Somehow, in the five months since his brother had joined him on his quest he had become accustomed to the other's presence, had gotten used to sharing his life as 'the Shadow Alchemist' with the other.

"Damn, it seems I've got an apology to make."

……………………………………………………………………………..

He has spent an hour simply walking the streets aimlessly; unsure as to whether he should simply abandon his link to the suit and 'return home' for good.

Six months ago as he'd seen his brother's new arm for the first time he'd promise himself that, no matter what, he'd stay firmly at the others side.

It was a promise that'd been greatly tested in the last few months but that, even now, he felt hard pressed to breach.

He has just turned his thoughts to finding Edward out when a gentle hand is tapping at his shoulder.

"I hope you've come to apologise…" He trails as he realises he is not talking to his brother and, giving his companion the once over, he enquires,

"Martel, why are you here?"

"I've been following you."

"Why?"

"To learn all I can about those people in black so that I can destroy them."

"Taking revenge will not bring them back."

"I know and yet still I want only to kill those people. It's best you don't waist your time trying to talk me out of it, I'm half snake, after all."

"I can not offer you my help, Martel, or offer you the protection of my body, The other's would have wanted you to start a new, safe, life rather than tie yourself tight to the dangers of your old one."

"I see."

She looks so defeated that he feels guilty for his refusal and yet he will not retract the words, not when he knows that doing as such will be as aiding in murder.

Suddenly he realises why his brother is pursuing Scar so passionately, what he is pushing aside everything else of importance in order to prevent the other from succeeding in the creation of the stone.

"If you will excuse me, Martel, I've somewhere I need to be." He remarks before he leaves the other's side.

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T: The slightly altered history for the death of Winry's parents is important and I wish you to ingrain the info on your brain! Also, this is the first time, in while, that I've given an indication of how time is passing and you'll note that I've gotten an extra month in! This month happens between Dante passing and the boy's finding the train and gives Ed's leg enough time to heal to a degree where it's no longer a target, though it shall never be 'as good as new' thanks to the older Elric's mistreatment of it. Anyway that done, you'll be glad to hear that the next chapter is up tomorrow, so glad that you'll review, right?


	21. Reunion

21. Reunion. 

T: Beware the vague cliff-hanger at the end of this chapter, other than that the warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny.

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"I thought you might be here." He remarks as he settles down next to his brother.

"I understand why you want to stop Scar, niichan and, though Dante's words seemed somehow true, I wish to believe in tousan's innocence."

"Then you'll stay with me?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" There is laughter in his brother's voice and he smiles a little for the sound of it.

"Somehow things always seem clearer when I'm down by the river."

"Which is why you always go down to one when you're angry, right?"

"Ever since I was little…mother always made you come and get me back, didn't she?"

"She told me it was my responsibility as the older brother." He pushes himself to his feet and, offering the other his hand, he says,

"We can't stick around reminiscing each day, especially when we've got a long walk."

"Are we really going to walk all the way?"

"Unless you have a better solution."

Almost as through divine intervention a horn sound and, turning, he is met with the sight of a tattooed woman perched upon a motorised sled.

"We might as well stay together for now, Al." She remarks as she gestures to the back of her vehicle.

"You know her?"

"It's a bit of a long story."

"Then we can discuss it on the way."

…………………………………………………………………………………

The tale of the link between Martel and his brother had concluded beneath the night sky of the open desert and before the warmth of a wood fire.

He'd felt compelled to inform the woman of his part in her loss and she, in turn, had informed him of her choice to place the blame with the Homunculus and Kimberly.

The fire and the determination clear in her every word had faded as the sun had risen and, attached again to the bike, seemed impossible that there was such a side to her.

It was an inconstancy that had to be down to her mixed genes and that fascinated him both as an alchemist and as one learning still of the may facets of his world.

"How much further is it to Ishibal?"

"We're already there, indeed we've been in Ishibal for a long time now." The statement seems false until he spots a ruined brick wall amid the sand and, feeling odd, he enquires,

"Will you pull over?"

They dismount amid a small cluster of ruined walls and, almost as though sensing his mood, Martel remarks,

"It is sad that such a proud city has fallen so very far," before she enquires, "Why have you come here?"

"We are looking for the philosophers stone and it seems likely that there is one buried here."

"You believe that Ishibal had a stone during the war?"

"Yes."

"That's impossible, they didn't resist us, after all."

"You make it sound as though Ishibal was invaded."

"Edward, I was placed into the 5th laboratory fourteen years ago."

He can not quite see the relevance of this statement and still he says

"You don't look old enough for that to be true."

"The mix of my genes has kept me looking young." She smiles then and says, "Before that I was in a group of special operatives who undertook covert operations without notice or intense background research.

"We were sent to Ishibal and then given our mission: 'conduct a large scale subversive action in order to prevent planned terrorist attacks on Central.' We believed that we were preventing a war and yet, in the end, we were causing one."

"Yet why would the military do such a thing?" There is desperation in the enquiry not because he wishes to believe the military guilt free, but rather because he has no want to believe that the colonel would participate in something so amoral.

"I have proof." She remarks as she snatches the head from Al's suit, jumps inside and then raises the head upwards.

"I don't get it."

"Just listen to me. Just after the war started we were placed into custody, any who resisted this were killed instantly. The survivors were taken to the 5th laboratory where we were experimented upon in order to keep us silent, but why?"

"Because you knew something they wanted top keep secret." Al responds.

"Why? What use was something like that?" He enquires as he kicks hard at a small piece of rubble.

The stone sails high and lands hard on something that, judging by the noise that follows, could well be someone's head.

"Is someone there?" There is a scuffle and then the individuals in question take flight. Striking his hands together he places them to the ground and remarks,

"You're not getting away."

Once the pair have been recovered and he has identified them as sergeant Breda and sergeant Fury, he enquires,

"Why are you two here?"

"We were checking border security."

"If that's true why did you run away?"

"Because we were ordered not to be seen." He is curious as to why they are being given such orders and, wishing to get to the rout of the matter, he enquires,

"Is the colonel here?"

…………………………………………………………………………..

"It has been a while, shadow alchemist. Might I introduce you to major Archer."

"A pleasure." He shakes Archer's hand despite the revulsion he feels towards the man and then he settles onto a chair.

"I've been keeping an eye on your movements, Edward and it seems you've developed a head for power."

"I've been making the world a better place."

"Really." The colonel leans over his desk and, flicking through his papers, he enquires, "I wonder how sabotaging a transport train is 'making the world a better place'."

"At least I'm doing _something_."

The colonel clearly wishes to respond to this but, restricted by Archer's presence, he simply says,

"I am taking you back under my command, Edward and asking you to call a halt to your quest."

"Colonel, I had believe that, given the desperation of our quest, we were allowed a little more freedom." Al remarks as she steps into the room.

"I am afraid that such freedom is lost in the event of a war." The colonel responds.

"Are we are war then?"

"Not yet, Alphonse, but it is possible that, if the rebellion is not quelled, the situation may descend towards that eventuality."

"That's a lot of tanks for an insurgence, isn't it?" He enquires and then, learning towards the colonel, he enquires, "What are you really doing here?"

"There are reports that Scar is in the area."

"Tell me more."

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T: Hopeful of getting an update in tomorrow, though I make no huge promises! Expect one Friday at the latest! Why not review while you're waiting?


	22. Betrayal

22. Betrayal.

T: Foreboding title says it all I fear! With that rather general warning out of the way I wish to state that I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny.

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"There is also this." The colonel returns again to his desk, plucks a photo from amid the paperwork and passes it into his care.

"Where did you get this?"

"It was taken by our observation balloon a few hours ago."

"This is Scar's work."

"What makes you say that?" He does not wish to tell the colonel what he knows of the stone, of Scar's link to the matter of the 'truth' of the Ishibalian conflict and thus he meets the enquiry with one of his own,

"What town is this?"

"Its name is Liore and it lies two Kilos from this location."

"Liore…wasn't there some form of religious uprising theme last year?"

"That's right, the military intervened and it seemed as though a peace has been called. A few weeks ago, however, the city became fractioned and a rebellion began." The colonel responds.

"I have to go to Liore."

"I'm afraid that is out of the question."

"Might I ask why?"

"The situation is delicate enough that we can not risk sending someone like you."

"I see. If you will excuse me."

………………………………………………………………………………….

"…you will have to agree to my conditions."

"Of course."

"Then I believe we have a deal." He pulls himself in a salute and, fighting away the disgust that has risen in his stomach, he says, "Thank you, sir."

Archer looks inordinately smug and he is just weighing the advantages of wiping that expression from the other's face when the door flies open.

There is a moment where he can see how much this choice has hurt the colonel and then the other's apathetic mask is again firmly in place.

"Why are you here?"

"The shadow alchemist wished to press upon me how important it was that he visited Liore and how advantages his presence in that local would be to us. I have listened, objectively, to his opinion and I believe he is correct in his judgement."

"Then you are overruling my decision?"

"The boy has agreed to leave his brother, something I am assured will inspire in him a wish to return to us alive and will quell a little of his more 'spirited' attitude."

"Of course. If you will excuse us, major." The colonel takes a gentle hold of his arm and 'escorts' him back to the privacy of his office.

"You should not have gone behind my back." He remarks as he leases his grip.

"Did you expect me to sit back and do nothing while you 'handled' the situation? Everything you've let me believe has been a lie!" Before he can react the other has ceased him into a fierce kiss.

Eventually the colonel breaks this contact and, anger burning clear in his eyes, he says,

"I do not know why you have lost faith in me, Edward, or why you are suddenly keeping secrets from me, but you should know that I would never do anything to hurt or betray you."

The colonel slumps a little then and puts a distance again between them; looking at the shadow of the man that he has come to know, he feels desperately guilty and, though he is uncertain still of his feelings, he places a gentle kiss on the elder man's forehead and remarks,

"I know, colonel and I am sorry that I have had to do as I have."

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"'niichan?"

He pauses in the steady packing rhythm that he has fallen into and enquires,

"What is the matter, Al?"

"Are you really doing to Liore without me?"

"Archer doesn't trust me and the only way that I could get him to agree to this was to promise that you stay here."

"Do you think the marks on the aerial photo will allow Scar to transmute a stone?"

"It's possible and if that proves the case then I'll destroy them." He glances over at the third member of their party and says,

"Make sure she stays hidden. If Archer catches sight of her…"

"You don't need to threaten me, Edward, nor do you need to concern yourself about my safety. For the moment Kimberly is my main target."

"I'll keep her close, 'Niichan."

"Walk me out." He remarks as he closes the catches on his suitcase.

He holds Al close for a long while and then, leasing the other, he says,

"I'll be back soon."

He has just stepped onto the duty floor when Armstrong steps out of the building.

"What can I do for you, major?"

"Major Archer has asked that you relinquished your silver watch."

"Of course, I can't have something as insignificant as that spoiling this disguise, can I?" He enquires as he gestures first to the dark wig and then the ragged clothing that he is wearing.

The major catches his hand after he has claimed the watch and, glancing into his eyes, the other enquires,

"Why are you in this place, Edward Elric?"

"I do not wish to lie to you, major and yet I can not tell you the truth."

"Of course, I understand." The major allows him free then and, with one final wave he begins the lengthy journey to Liore.

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T: So there we go! Another chapter out of the way and on time too which I'm fairly smug about! Expect the next one Friday and while you're waiting why not review!


	23. Destruction

23. Destruction.

T: Semi cliff hanger, though it's nothing major so I'm sure you'll forgive me! Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing other than the plot bunny.

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Al is making his way back to his room when he walks, quite accidentally, into the path of the man that Martel had, but hours previous, sworn to destroy.

Before he has a true chance to react to this terrible co-incidence, Martel has hopped free from his 'body' and is charging towards the other. But a second later she has Kimberly in a head lock, her dagger pressed tight to the hollow of his throat.

"Why are you here?" She enquires.

"Why is my presence here so shocking? I am a state Alchemist, after all."

"So you used us as the price to buy back your old life? That makes me want to kill you even more!" She presses harder with the knife and he can just see a small trace of blood wetting the other's skin when Kimberly enquires,

"Are you going to let her do this?" The words spur him, at last, into action and he gently extricates Martel's arms from about the other.

He is attempting to explain to her why he has done such a thing, when Kimberly uses his 'gift' to alchemise the body of one of his fellow soldiers into a bomb and he is forced to act as a break between Martel and the ensuing explosion.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

He has used his disguise in order to convince the citizens that he is a refugee newly returned to the city. This cover has allowed him the freedom to press for a little more information on how Liore is now being run and he has just found a particularly talkative citizen when an odd hush falls over the other's in the street.

"It seems you're in luck, kid."

"Why, what is happening?"

"The Holy mother is gracing us with her presence."

The woman in question is, judging by the way that the people are reacting to her, a leader of one of the fractions and, wishing a chance to talk to the woman, he begins to push his way through the crowd.

A hand ceases onto his arm as he reaches the edge of the crowd and, glancing upward, he is met with the blank mask of Scar's face.

He can not fight the other in such close proximity to such a large body of innocents and thus he breaks the other's grip and sprints off towards a narrow backstreet.

Once he is free from the crowds he rounds on his pursuer and enquires,

"Have you come here to do something foolish?"

"I have come to make the philosophers stone."

"How can you justify the death of all these innocent people?"

"What else would you have me do, Edward Elric?"

"What form of logic is that?" He enquires.

Scar does not reply and, angry now beyond the word; he strikes his hands together and charges towards the other.

Scar quickly resorts to striking him with his right arm and he watches, smugly, at the other's confusion when his arm does not explode.

"How are you doing that?"

"It was simple enough once I knew you were an alchemist."

"I'm an alchemist?"

"Indeed you are." Parrying another blow from the other he says, "Alchemy is divided into three principles; comprehension, destruction and reconciliation. You have stopped at the second principle, subconsciously using the mettle present within the body as a catalyst for an explosion. I'm stopping that process by swiftly altering the mettle within my arm, something that's messing with the tuning so you'll forgive me for wanting to end this swiftly," before he strikes out for the other. Now that he is unable to use his arm Scar is at a disadvantage and his reactions begin to slow as fatigue takes him.

Sensing victory he lifts the man up by the scruff of the neck and remarks,

"Once you've killed everyone in the city in pursuit of your vengeance you'll have to destroy yourself also!"

"I may not be able to destroy your mettle arm but I am still more than capable of destroying this one." Scar remarks as the other takes a firm hold of his flesh arm.

He can not allow the threat to still his hand and, swallowing the far that has risen in his stomach; he strikes out for the other's head.

A sharp finger deflects the blow and, turning, he is met with the silhouetted form of lust and her companion.

"I am afraid, shadow alchemist, that you are no longer of use to us."

"So you're going to kill me, aren't you?"

"Indeed."

He strikes his hands to the wall and, using his alchemy, turns the water in the pipe opposite the homunculus into boiling hot steam. For a moment he believes this attack to have proven successful and then the pair rise from amid the dissipating fog, their wounds staunching closed in the blink of an eye.

"I'm afraid you shall find that you can not kill us as casually as you killed Greed, Edward Elric."

He is close to admitting some form of defeat when Scar comes to stand between himself and the homunculus.

"Why are you standing against us when we are protecting you?" Lust enquires.

"Why have I suddenly become as ally to you?" he counters.

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T: Next chapter Sunday, until then why not review?


	24. Past

24. Past.

T: This is a bit of a heavy chapter as far as the exposition goes and I apologise for that fact, unfortunately it has to happen at some point! Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny!

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"Why have I suddenly become as ally to you?"

"You wish to create the stone and, as such, we shall protect you."

There is a moment of silence and then, pulling a locket from his pocket, Scar enquires,

"Do you recognise this?"

"No."

"Look harder! This is a treasure that you bestowed upon my precious older brother."

A comprehension crosses Lust's face and then she faints. Her companion is swift to move her to safety, all the while mumbling to himself of how much he hates 'everyone'.

Once they are again alone he enquires,

"What is the story behind you and that Homunculus?"

"It is none of your business!" He is about to 'push' the other into talking when a familiar voice says,

"Stop!"

Lyra stands at the opposite end of the street, one arm linked about the Holy Mother's.

"The Holy Mother wishes you to listen to Scar's story, Edward and also for Scar-san to leach his heart of the poison of his past by imparting his tale." The Holy Mother nods in confirmation of this statement and it is then that he knows that she is mute.

…………………………………………………………………………………

They have retired to a small ramshackle building and, while Scar gather's his courage, he has asked for the Holy Mother's story.

Lyra told him of the Holy Mother's tragic past, of how a young woman by the name of Rose had been taken in by Cornello's lies and twisted to a shadow of her former self. She had told him of how, when Cornello's lies began to catch up with him, Rose had been at the fore of the action, at first defending the priest and later vocalising the extent to which he had betrayed her. She had told him of Rose's want for peace and then she had fallen silent.

There had been distress clear in her eyes and, not wishing to press the matter further, he had fallen into silence. But a moment later Scar asks for his attention and, a wistful edge to his voice, he says,

"When I was a boy and my homeland was peaceful still, I had an intelligent, kindly older brother who loved and was loved by the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen. That woman fell ill and, very swiftly afterwards; she was placed in Ishibal's hands. My brother could not see beyond the grief of loosing her and gave himself over to restoring her life…gave a portion of his body and yet still she did not come back. Or at least that was what I had believed, seeing the woman who names herself Lust I am not certain any more."

"A Homunculus is created when an alchemist attempts human transmutation, though she looks as the woman your brother loved she is nothing more than an empty shell."

"It is true, Scar-san. Dante-sama told me that she once attempted human transmutation and that, in doing as such, she had created a monster." Lyra responds.

"I suppose that would have been Greed. It seems someone is creating more of them, gathering them together for some unknown purpose. We have an advantage over them, however, that locket contains something from Lust's original body and she, as all her kind, is weaker around such remnants."

"I see." There is a long moment of silence and then Scar remarks, "Soon after he failed in the attempt of resurrecting that woman my brother was exiled and the war began. Desperation gripped my people and my brother convinced them that he held the answer to their survival. Using his knowledge he began to create a stone and yet, just before he achieved that goal he stopped. For so long I did not understand that choice and yet now, knowing what I do….to save Ishibal he would have had to destroy the people…he chose exile over that eventuality and I followed him." His hands lift to massage his scar and then he says, "We were attacked and my brother gave his life to protect mine, gave me my right arm in order that I could do what he could not."

"So your arm is like the red water and that means it will draw the unfinished compound to it. It also means that you need more lives, more people, to turn it into a stone. That's why you're doing this, isn't it, why you've set Rose up as the 'Holy Mother', you're going to use her to bring them to you and then you're going to kill them, aren't you?"

"That is not true, Edward." Lyra remarks as she comes to stand at Scar's side.

"Why are you here, Lyra?"

"I saw him kill Dante-sama, sat, helpless, as her life was snatched from her. Weighed by the guilt of that experience I searched for somewhere that I could become useful again. Almost by fate I came across Scar-san and, once I had heard his plan, I knew that I had found my cause. You see Scar-san is going to use Rose to encourage those of Liore from the city, this evacuation done through hidden tunnels that we have been excavating for weeks. The soldiers will charge on an empty city and it is then that Scar-san will activate the transmutation circle."

A cold chill goes through him as she finishes her explanation and, in a deceptively calm manner, he enquires,

"How can you justify this plan? Soldiers or no they are still people like you!"

Rose steps into the room, her arms tucked about a small infant. Lyra watches the younger woman as she crosses the room and, once she is again 'out of earshot' she says,

"You ask me how I can support this idea, she is how! All she did was shelter the children from the uprising and they took her from her home, kept her against her will and traumatised her enough that she lost her voice." He understands why she is aiding Scar.

Understands, despite himself, why she believes this a valid solution.

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T: Expect the next chapter up Tuesday, until then why not review!


	25. Loss

25. Loss.

T: Warnings remain the same and I still own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny!

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"How disappointing, I was rather looking forward to a big explosion." Kimberly remarks as he sets his foot onto the suits shoulder.

"I won't let you hurt her." He remarks as he balls even tighter about Martel.

"Why bother helping something like that, kid? It's not even human…though I suppose you aren't either." The casual remark sparks his anger and, surging upward, he crouches down into a fighting stance.

Kimberly attempts to use his alchemy to shatter the suit and, in retaliation, he uses his skills to create a cage for the other.

Martel makes good her escape while Kimberly is working his way through the wall and her absence means that he can now face Kimberly without fear.

A spark of flame stops the fight before it can truly begin and the imposing form of the colonel comes between them.

"This boy is under my jurisdiction, Kimberly and, as such, you can deal with your aggravation by filing a complaint, rather than with your fists." The colonel turns to him then and, a smile hidden in his eyes, he enquires,

"Can I have a word, Alphonse-kun?"

"Of course."

He follows the colonel to his office and, one the other is settled, he enquires,

"How can I help, sir?"

"I wanted to let you know that you do not have to feel obligated to remain here."

"I can not abandon 'niichan, colonel."

"Liore is a very dangerous place at the moment, Alphonse-kun and it is possible that he will not come back." The words are causal enough and yet there is something hidden within them that catches his attention.

"You are worried about him, aren't you, colonel?"

"He is under my care…"

"I am not a child, colonel, nor am I one to make prejudice judgements. You are worried about Edward because you care greatly for him and, that being the case, you should trust that he will do what he can come back to us."

The colonel smiles then and, running a hand through his hair, he says,

"You are right, of course. Thank you for putting my mind at ease, Alphonse."

"You are welcome, colonel."

………………………………………………………………………………………

He has looked almost everywhere for Martel and has found no sign of the other. In desperation he has begun to return to rooms he has visited previously and explore every single nook and cranny.

He is just sneaking out from one such re-visitation when he all but walks into Havoc.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant."

"That's alright, Al, I wasn't looking where I was going anyway."

"Is something happening?"

"You'll bet something is happening! The fuhrer is arriving in a few minutes."

"I see." His task given a new sense of urgency he excuses himself from Havoc's side and, has just stepped out into the courtyard when he hears Martel calling his name.

"I've been worried about you, Martel! Quick, get inside before someone sees you."

Once the 'woman' is safe inside the armour she pressed herself to his visitor and says,

"You have to listen to me, Al…"

Her words shock him enough that he registers Bradley's presence a moment too late.

Blood is soaking into the armour, the liquid filled with memories of the woman who had been Martel.

Bradley watches him slump to his knees and then he says,

"I hope that you are alright, Alphonse-kun and that I did not harm you in the execution of she who had threatened your life."

Numb he can do nothing other than nod in show that he is, indeed, unharmed.

………………………………………………………………………………

Gravestones litter every inch of the ground before him and, if he squints, he can just make out more dotted upon the crest of the hill, all of a mile from where he stands.

"After Cornello's regime was exposed the military began to infiltrate into the city. Lyra will have made what happened next sound glorious and yet, in truth, it was little more than a blood bath. Thousands destroyed at the hands of the military and for what reason? Perhaps they saw how close those of Liore are to those of Ishibal."

"That was not the reason." He remarks, his voice sounding hollow even to his ears.

"I am going to create a stone and make sure that no one has to suffer such tyranny again."

"Even for such a reason I can not condone that action!" He has unconsciously, raised the level of his voice this increase enough to start Rose's baby crying.

He glances towards the child and his mind fills with the thought of how it had been conceived.

He can not squash the self revulsion that that thought sparks in his mind, nor halt the tears that begin to spill from his eyes.

He had believed, before coming to the city, that he was the 'people's alchemist', that there was no problem that he could not solve.

Now, surrounded by the graves of so many innocent people, he comprehends such an idea had been.

Comprehends that, no matter how strong his alchemy has become, he can not erase the agony that these people have experienced.

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T: Next updated on Thursday, until then why not review?


	26. Communication

More filler this chapter, hopefully Sundays chapter will more than make up for this fact! Warnings and disclaimer remains the same.

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They have removed Martel's body and they are grouped now in a tight circle about him.

"She's an impressive cross-bread." Havoc remarks, his tone making the words less callous than they might, otherwise, have seemed.

"She is one of Dr. Marho's creations." Major Armstrong remarks.

"You've known about this for a long time haven't you, major? I can't help but wonder what else you're keeping from us." Havoc's words set a murmur in the group and, unsettled by this, he informs them,

"The major had not involvement in this matter, I have done this all off of my own back." He allows the others time to process this information before informing them, "I have learned something very important, something that I can not discuss with you but that is pressing me to ask that you remain as a united front." The group look to one another and then the colonel says,

"It seems to me that Hughes had a hand in the major's behaviour…you'd think he'd try to enjoy his honorary dismissal wouldn't you?"

"Why was the Lieutenant dismissed?" He enquires.

"Central had become a dangerous place and I had no want to see him hurt simply because he thought I needed looking after. Hughes refused to leave the matter alone and so I called in a few favours." The colonel smiles and, tapping him gently on the head, he says, "I am sure that everyone has jobs that they need to get back to," before he steps free the circle.

The others drift away but a little after that and he is left alone with the vivid replay of Martel's final truths.

"_They are going to turn Liore into another Ishibal."_

"_What are you saying?"_

"_That man, the Fuhrer, he is a Homunculus."_

……………………………………………………………………………………..

From the window of the small bedroom that had, for all intense purposes, become his prison cell, he has the perfect view of the meeting that Scar has called.

The other is telling the people of how the military will try to justify an attack on Liore and of the plan that he has created to save the city.

He watches as the other takes up Rose's hand and then transmutes a simple stone into a finely crafted statue.

"It must have been hard for you to prop up a mute as a spiritual leader." He remarks.

"Rose gave us the courage to fight for what we believed in and to stand on our own two feet." One of his guards remarks.

"If that's true then you wouldn't need her to lead you." He counters.

"We all need some form of guidance in our lives, Edward, such is humanities true weakness." Lyra remarks as she comes to stand next to him.

A familiar scent catches his nose a moment later and, curious despite himself, he enquires,

"Are you wearing perfume?"

"I am, for I have not yet had time to bathe."

"You'll forgive the enquiry, it's just that that smell makes me think of how very ill my father is." She gives no response to this but rather enquires,

"What do you plan to do next?"

"I have to stop, Scar."

"I shall admit that there is a clear flaw to his plan."

"How surprising, I'd believed you were with him all the way."

"I admire his want to protect the city but that is all."

"I see." He processes this information a moment and then he enquires, "Will you do me a favour, Lyra?"

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Stepping into the colonel's office he is greeted with the familiar circle of individuals and, hesitating on the threshold of the doorway, he enquires,

"What is going on?"

"Come and sit down, Al." The colonel remarks as he gestures to the empty seat at his left.

Once he is seated the colonel produces a letter from his back pocket and says,

"I received this letter this morning."

"Is it from 'niichan?"

"That is correct. Edward has written to assure us of his safety and to inform us of the current situation in Liore. It seems that Scar has turned the city into a transmutation circle and that, should we cross into the circle, it will be activated."

"Scar intends to use your lives to create a philosopher's stone." Everyone in the circle is shocked by this revelation and, concern clear in her every word, the colonel enquires,

"Did you two not step away from the pursuit of the stone?"

"We had, indeed, given up that desire and then we learned that the main ingredient was human lives, learned also that, in some manner, tousan was tied into the mystery surrounding the stone."

"It seems I have little choice." The colonel remarks before saying, "Alphonse, I am sending you to meet Edward in Liore and the rest of us shall bide our time. The villagers will eventually surrender and we shall arrest Scar then."

"Thank you, colonel." He remarks.

The other smiles softly and then says, "Would you return this to Edward," as he passes a silver pocket watch towards him.

"Of course I shall, sir."

………………………………………………………………………………….

Scar steps into the room, an excitement clear in both his posture and his eyes.

"They have begun pre-emptive attacks in the hopes of dividing our forces and making us weaker. I shall give them the impression that we have taken the bate while the rest of you make for the escape tunnels as planned."

Scar talks, briefly, to some of the followers and then he comes to stand before him,

"I am trusting you to guard them and to see them safe from this place, Edward Elric." The other remarks as he releases the cuffs that have, until that moment, restrained his wrists.

"I shall do what I can." He remarks as he gains his feet.

Lyra catches him a moment later and says,

"I thought that you would put up more of a resistance than that."

"My letter will have insured that no more soldiers cross into Liore and, without a suitable volume of ingredients, Scar will be unable to create a stone."

"Yet without a stone Liore will fall to military rule just as Ishibal before it."

"If that proves the case then you can direct your hatred towards me, for I can do nothing other than continue to straddle the fence."

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T: Next chapter Sunday, until then why not review?


	27. Wrath

27. Wrath.

T: I know certain people have been looking forward to this chapter for a long while and I'd like them to consider this a gift for helping me get to the 50 mark for reviews! Warnings remain the same (though there is a little bit of complex theory in this chapter) as do the disclaimers.

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They are deep into the underground tunnels when Lyra enquires,

"Will you truly do nothing for this city?"

"I'll talk to the military for you, negotiate some form of peace."

"I do not believe the people can trust the military and I know that I certainly can not. Liore will fall just as I have already predicted and yet, as Ishibal before it, the memory of its destruction shall linger on to taint the military's reputation."

Silence falls on the group then, this cut, a moment later, by a scream from the front of the group.

A wall of water stands but feet ahead of them, several refugees suspended high within the liquid.

"Get away from here!" He remarks as he gently nudges Lyra from his said and then surges towards the water.

"I have waited for the longest of times to meet you, shadow alchemist." The comment comes from within the water and, a moment later, a small child steps free the liquid.

"Who are you?"

"I am Wrath." The child responds as it sprints towards him. He sidesteps the first strike but the second lands hard against his chest. He had not thought to face such strength in one who appeared so very young and, though he manages to stand firm, the weaker muscles in his right leg twinge for the mistreatment.

"What the hell are you?" He enquires as the child's second successful strike throws him off of his feet.

"I'm a homunculus." The child responds as he bares the tattoo on the sole of his right foot as proof of this fact.

"I see." He strikes his hands together and, placing them on the floor, he tells the child, "In that case I feel better for fighting back," Before he pulls a makeshift pike from the floor.

The child is swifter and stronger than should be possible for such a small frame, something, he supposes, is because of what he is. Despite knowing what the child truly is and the pressure the other is putting on him he can not quite put his all into the fight and, inevitably, he ends out pinned into a corner.

A sharp cry distracts the other and a moment later he is charging towards the source of the sound, screaming for silence.

He realises, all but instantly, that Wrath's target is Rose's child and he screams for her to run. She takes a moment to register the command and then she is off, her hands gripped tightly about the baby.

He manages to get between Wrath and Rose but a moment later and, pinning the child down with use from some alchemised mettle, he says,

"I know how to kill your kind, know that you are simply an impostor and that, when you are exposed to the real thing, you 'shrivel up'."

"If that's the case then I have no weakness. My body was used to bring my still born form to life." Wrath remarks, a smug smile spreading onto his face.

…………………………………………………………………………………

He has let his guide join his companions and he is just wondering how he will find his brother amid the chaos when he spots the familiar form of Scar sprinting down the street.

Following the other he soon learns that Scar is chasing Kimberly and, aware of where such a thing shall lead, he picks up his pace. He catches the pair up just in time to hear Kimberly making a foolish statement about the 'hollow' nature of humanity and, anger hot within him, he says,

"Even though, at this moment, I am within this body I can not agree with such a statement. Every single person has value and I can not see another life wasted, not even one such as yours."

Kimberly seems amused by this statement and breaking into a manacle laughter, he lashes out for Scar's left arm. Scar regards the arm a moment, then, placing his right hand to the shoulder, he enquires, "Would a hollow body do this?" before the arm disintegrates in a shower of blood.

Scar lunges for the other but a moment after that, his right hand striking against Kimberly's chest. Kimberly takes a stumbling step away from the other and then falls, immobile, to the floor. Scar moves then, a determination clear in his eyes and, desperate to stop the other, he crosses into his path.

"I can not let you do this, Scar-san."

"I am afraid that you can not stop me." The other responds before he gently pushes him to one side.

"Not without force, no." He counters as he leans down to sketch a transmutation circle into the sand.

He is just about to begin the reaction when a pair of hands cease onto the suits torso.

He has a chance to register the gleam of Kimberly's smile, the bright spark of a transmutation and then pain envelopes his cognitive processes.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

He hears a sloshing sound, akin to that of water catching against a bathtub and then a very familiar voice enquires,

"When did you become such a naughty boy, Edward?" Turning he is met with the slender form of Sarah Rockbell, suspended mid air by a small funnel of water which trails from where her legs should be.

His mind swamps with images of the woman as he recalled her, of her kindness, her generosity and he freezes.

Seeing well the advantage of such a thing wrath bites down hard on his flesh hand, the razor edge of his teeth cutting though the mussel and digging hard into the bone.

He screams, the sound joined, an instant later, by the cry of Rose's child.

Again Wrath responds in anger to the sound, his body tensing until his restraints snap and he can again make a charge for both the child and its mother.

His mind numbed for the shock appearance of Winry's long dead mother and the sting of the bite he can not encourage his limbs to move enough that he might, once again, protect Rose.

Then the barest whisper of a voice is telling him something that he has not heard since his mother's funeral,

"Walk forwards, Edward."

He can picture still his father as he had said those words, the other's eyes bright for the tears he had shed and a confidence in his stance that had faded as the illness had taken him.

Filled with the image of what he was trying to restore, of what he was fighting for, he pushes away the numbness of the shock and, gaining his feet, charges towards Wrath.

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T: To the matter of Wrath's limbs, I'm going with the thought that they belong to another alchemist who tried, and failed, a human transmutation. Winry's mother seemed, to me, to be the best candidate to replace Trisha and I hope everyone agrees with this. Finally Wrath's bite has not interrupted the circle on Ed's gloves and thus he'll still be able to transmute (yes this is, indeed, a plot hole!) please review and expect the next chapter Monday evening.


	28. Sloth

28. Sloth.

T: Huge insane theory warning for this chapter but apart from this the warnings remain the same. I own nothing you see here other than the plot bunny and (on a technicality) Sloth.

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As the pain fades he is left with the odd sensation of being in two places at the same time.

Scar is hovering just above him concern clear in his face,

"Alphonse, is everything alright?"

"I feel strange, Scar-san."

"I've alchemised his armour to filter in the air, bit by bit and, once it has reached optimum oxidisation, it will explode. You've time enough to flee but I doubt you're gifted enough to change the armour so that it will no longer oxidise." Kimberly remarks, his tone casual despite the pain he must be in.

Scar turns to regard the alchemist and Al sees him raise his foot, hears the blow of his heal landing on the other's skull and then Scar is again bend over him.

"Break the link between your soul and the armour, Alphonse, I am certain that your brother would not now view such an act as abandonment."

He allows his mind to sink away from controlling the armour and pushes forward thoughts and memories associated with his 'true' form. Normally this simple exercise would bring him back to his body and yet, on this occasion, nothing occurs.

When the second attempt also proves fruitless he informs Scar,

"It seems that he has somehow managed to tie my soul to the armour."

"What of your physical body?" He had expected some other form of response from the other and thus it takes him a moment to reply,

"I can feel it there in the back of my mind but it's faint…it's more than likely that it's comatose…tousan will worry and that shall make him all the worse…" He wishes to cry for the foolish of it all, for how useless he suddenly feels and yet, trapped within the prison of a metal body he can not even do that.

He feels a hand press to his torso and then Lust's cool voice is saying,

"You cannot linger here any further, Scar-san."

A moment later he hears Scar respond, "You are precisely as his brother said, a soulless replica of the one my brother loved."

………………………………………………………………………………

He gets between Rose and Wrath but a moment before the homunculus reaches the other, only the swift raising of his mettle arm preventing the child from inflicting another wound to his body.

They spar for a great while before he again pins the child to the floor with a mix of mettle stronger than that which he had used on the previous occasion. Once assured that Wrath is, for the moment at least, suitably restrained, he turns his attention towards the child's companion.

The woman who looks as Winry's mother is stood directly in their path, a patient confidence in her posture that he recalls well.

"I've often seen you at Bradley's side and always I felt that I knew you somehow…it was a sensation I had no want to pursue too far and yet now I wish that I had…were you created by Winry's father?"

"That man was not an alchemist, Edward, that you know already. He did, however, know many people within that profession and, after I was killed, he turned to one of them for aid. The alchemist died and that man killed himself for the guilt of causing such a thing to occur, something that seems such a pointless waist of a life, would you not agree?" She enquires as her arms liquefy and she strikes out towards him.

It is the simplest of thing to use his alchemy to heat the water and thus render this attack useless and then he states,

"You are a homunculus."

"Correct. I am Sloth." She responds as her clothing shifts to expose the tattoo just bellow her collarbone.

"I can't help but wonder why you've infiltrated the military."

"I'm afraid that's going to have to stay our little secret." Sloth responds before she again strikes out for him.

They fall, swiftly, into a battle, Sloth driving him back enough to reach Wrath and then she continues to push at him until she has figured out a means to erode Wrath's binds.

Two now instead of one the pair have a clear advantage against him and, dizzy now for blood loss, he decides to end things swiftly.

Striking his hands together he sets them to the floor and begins a rockslide over the homunculus's heads.

Once the dust has settled he makes his way back to Rose's side.

"They shall not die so casually." Lyra informs him once they join her.

"I suppose that's true." He responds before he turns to Rose and says, "Your voice and the voice of your baby saved me, Rose."

"I only wish I could have stopped you from being hurt altogether." The woman responds as she takes his wounded hand into her own.

"It'll take more than something like that to slow me down."

"You should not be so dismissive of your life, Edward. Here, let me see it." Lyra remarks.

He allows the other to take his wounded hand and, a moment later, both the skin and the hole in the glove have been repaired.

"Thank you." He remarks once the hand is his own again.

"It was a pleasure." Lyra responds.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

"I do not recall your bother, or you, but I wish to." Lust responds.

"You shall never have that wish granted, for those memories belong only to that woman."

"Yet once I have the stone I will become human…will become her again."

"The dead shall never come back to life." Scar remarks his voice full of a solid conviction that places an end to the argument.

Scar's hands are again upon the armour's torso but a moment later,

"I want to allow you to join your brother's side again, Alphonse and so I am creating the stone within you, changing your body, in order that you might fulfil that want."

There is another painful heat and then Scar's presence is gone from his side.

He wishes to stop the other from continuing on this chose path and yet the legs of the suit have become little more than rusted mettle. Thus all he can do is wait and hope that his brother comes to save him.

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T: All the stuff about Al's soul and why Kimberly's alchemy has bound it will be explained in a later chapter. For those still curious Wrath is, indeed, Izumi's child but that fact will, most likely, not be mentioned within cannon. Scar has not given Al his locket, something that I need everyone to note. Review and the next chapter shall be up tomorrow.


	29. Impasse

29. Impasse.

T: Teeny cliff-hanger, though It's not too bad! Other than this the warnings and the disclaimer remain the same.

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The sun feels warm on his skin despite the chill in the air and he allows himself a moment to simply bathe in the tranquillity of the moment before turning to Rose and saying,

"You should be able to get to another town from here."

"What about you?"

"I've got to capture Scar; turning him over to the military is the only way to assure an end to this 'conflict'."

"Are you certain that that is the only solution?" Rose enquires.

"I suppose I could talk to the colonel…broker some form of a deal…I'm not much of a negotiator though so I can't promise much."

Rose smiles then, the thing beautiful despite its fragility and he informs her,

"You'd better get going."

"Goodbye, Edward." She remarks before she pulls her child tight to her and joins the other refugees.

He is running back to the temporary headquarters when he spots the line of tanks and, fear blooming in his stomach, he picks up his pace.

He is unsurprised to find Archer at the head of the 'army', though the other is clearly taken aback by his return.

"There's no need for this, the citizens have fled the town and only Scar remains inside."

"Clearly they have pressed you into telling this lie." Archer responds before informing him, "We discovered the body of the crimson alchemist upon the border a few moments previous, this item clutched within his fingers." The other holds up a familiar locket and, snatching it from him, he says,

"This is Scar's."

"Is that so? Surely this is the sort of thing that any individual within this town could have owned."

"You're using Kimberly's death as an excuse to charge the town, aren't you? I'm all for you running in there in order to gain glory for yourself, but it sickens me that you're expecting others to join you in that pursuit."

Archer is about to retort when a solider steps between them and, in an enthused whisper, remarks,

"We have spotted Scar."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Sir!" The guard falls into a smart salute and, seeing his eagerness, seeing his youth clear in the brightness of his eyes he is driven to remark,

"You are walking into a trap, major."

"Restrain him." Archer remarks as he joins the throng of men pressing towards Liore.

An instant later the sky is ablaze with the light of a transmutation and, pocketing Scar's locket, he creates a wall of sand between what remains of the army and the city.

He drops this shield once he assured that there is no more risk and, in doing as such, he is greeted with the sight of what Liore has become, with the sight of endless desert where there had once been a bustling city.

He makes his way into that wilderness, his voice raised up in search for Scar. Eventually this search gains a reply but not, as he had expected, in Scar's calm tone but rather in his brother's voice.

"Al?"

"I'm here, 'niichan."

Digging frantically in the sand he is greeted, eventually, with the familiar countenance of his brother's armour.

"Why are you here?"

"The colonel wished me to find you…to bring you back, but then I found Scar-san and Kimberly transmuted the armour into a bomb and somehow sealed my soul at the same time and Scar-san said that he was going to change my body into the stone to stop me from blowing up."

"Calm down, Al." Only once he is assured that his brother has taken on this instruction does he say, "Open out your chest plate."

Al does as instructed and, rather than exposing a hollow mettle shell, the action exposes a deep red light.

"What is this, niichan?"

"But a little before I found you there was a transmutation light over Liore. It seems that Scar created a stone but not within himself as he had first thought to."

"I agree with that analysis, Edward Elric." This last is Lust and, reflexively, he reaches into his pocket for the locket. "It seems your brother has been turned into the stone and yet such 'salvation comes at a price, for he shall find himself unable still to lease the connection to the armour."

Al tenses and he knows that the other is attempting to go back to his original body, attempting to prove the other wrong. After a moment the armour slumps into a dejected pose and he knows that Lust had been correct, knows that Al is indeed trapped within the armour.

"Why the hell would Scar do something like this and why the well would the presence of the stone stop him from going back?"

Lust does not answer these enquires but instead says,

"Run while you have the chance, Edward. Now that you have the stone everyone shall be pursuing you."

"Why are you doing this? Didn't you want the stone for yourself?" Again she gives him no reply, this time choosing to simply walk away rather than add to his confusion.

"What do we do now, 'niichan?"

"I do not know…I'm afraid that she's right in saying that they'll chase us now and it seems we can't rely on anyone other than ourselves."

"What about the colonel?"

"If it were any other matter I would involve him without thought."

"Then what makes this matter any different?"

"He cannot protect us without risking himself, Al, or everything that he has worked so hard to achieve, thus it is better that we do not involve him at all."

"I see." There is a touch of pride in his brother's voice, the harmonic warming his stomach and chasing away a little of the fear that had begun to consume him.

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T: Next chapter tomorrow. Review?


	30. Pursuit

30. Pursuit. 

T: Nothing to say today so I'll state that both the warnings and the disclaimer remain the same.

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They have begun to flee from where Liore had once stood, Al's pace swifter than it had been previously, something that he assumes is due to the presence of the stone and something that means that it is not long before he has to pause to catch his breath.

"'niichan?"

"Yes?"

"Martel was discovered."

"Is she…"

"Dead? Yes. However, her life was not given in vain."

"What do you mean?"

"Before they found her she was able to tell me that the fuhrer is a homunculus."

"So that's why she said 'our'."

"'niichan?"

"His sectary is also a homunculus."

Al tenses and he knows that his brother has also subconsciously recognised the woman.

"What are we going to, 'niichan?"

"Don't worry about that, Al" He remarks as he sets a casual hand to his brother's shoulder.

He is swamped with the sudden impression of existing within two bodies at the same time and his is greeted with a brief image of his father's face before he is pushed back to reality.

"What happened? For a moment I could feel my true body about me…"

"The stone must be reacting to my alchemy…stay away from me from now on, Al, I don't want to loose you completely."

There is a long moment of silence and then his brother enquires,

"Where are we going, 'niichan?"

"To Risenbol."

"Won't that be the first place the military will look for us?"

"Perhaps, but if we're going to fight the homunculus on equal footing there's something I need to get."

………………………………………………………………………………….

More for habit than convenience they have taken the back road home, something that leads them, all but directly, into the path of Lieutenant Breda and Sergeant Fury.

The pair are discussing the aftermath of the 'incident' in Liore and, curious, he edges a little closer to the pair.

"…The colonel should have left the matter alone, now he'll be held directly accountable should we fail to capture Edward." He does not wish to hear how Fury responds to that revelation and, turning, he is met with Havoc's cheery face and the barrel of a gun levelled at his face.

"Come along quietly, Ed."

"I'm not going back!" He remarks as he places his metal hand over the barrel. "Shall we see if bullets will penetrate my automail?" He enquires, his voice calm despite the whirl of emotions within his head.

Havoc's fingers tense, just barely, on the trigger and then Al makes his presence known. The bullet ricochets off of his hand and lodges itself into Havoc's shoulder, something he feels guilty enough about that he yells an apology over his shoulder.

They make it another mile before they encounter the remainder of the colonel's men, Winry and the colonel himself.

"So you're reduced yourself to taking hostages have you?" He enquires.

The colonel glances over to Winry before he says,

"Do not make this any harder Edward."

"I can't come back with you, colonel; I've stepped away from the military." He remarks as he strikes a hand sown onto the river at his right.

Water spouts into the air, dampening the colonel's gloves and rendering him useless.

"I had no want to resort to this, Edward." The colonel remarks as he pulls a match from his right trouser pocket.

"Would you really strike at 'niichan to keep Bradley happy, colonel?" Al enquires.

The colonel tenses and, his expression sour, he says,

"I promised myself after Ishibal that I would never again follow orders blindly. I'm not chasing after you because the Fuhrer asked me to, but because I'm seriously annoyed from the both of you. Why the hell couldn't you come to me after what happened in Liore?"

He hesitates in giving the other a reply, an opportunity Armstrong takes to step a little in front of the colonel and enquire,

"What happened, Edward? Al?"

"The Fuhrer is a homunculus." His brother responds.

The colonel does not react with the same level of surprise as the other's present, this an oddity that he store away for later contemplation.

"The homunculus have been pushing everyone forwards towards the goal of achieving the stone and the presence of one of their kind within the military would have made such an exercise all the simpler." He remarks.

"The Fuhrer was not aware of the less savoury aspects of the 5th laboratory's research and he lamented the corruption of the military." Armstrong remarks.

"I have seen the Oroborus tatoo upon him." Al responds.

"Then it was the shape shiting homunculus." Armstrong says, the desperation clear now in his words.

"I do not think even you believe that the case, major and there is also the matter of Bradley's secutary to consider." He remarks.

Armstrong swiftly comprihends why he is talking of Bradley's secutary and, his mood souring, he enquires,

"Do they have any objective other than to create a stone?"

He is not given chance to answer this enquiry for a group of the soliders outside of the colonel's inner circle interupts proceedings.

Armstrong quickly distracts the soliders and then ferrys them away from the area.

"Is Havoc alright?" He enquires after a moment.

"He's a little banged up but its nothing too sevear."

"I'm glad." There is a long moment of silence and then Lieutenant Hawkeye enquires,

"Shall we be off, sir?"

"You're coming with us are you?"

"That is correct."

"Might I ask why?"

"You may buy I'm afraid that I can not give you my reasoning." The colonel responds, the smile hidden at the corner of his lips telling swiftly that the words are meant more as a tease than anything else.

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T: Da dah! There may be an update tommorrow but I'm not promising anything!!


	31. Homecoming

31. Homecoming.

T: This chapter encouraged by 'Thesmallestghost's' offer of cookies and the fact that I'm up stupidly early this morning! Warnings and disclaimer remain the same.

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"…so I decided that I was going to try and find you before the military did." Winry concluded.

"So how did the colonel catch you?"

"The bike I'd whipped together in order to get me here quickly went haywire and I crashed directly into the colonel's path."

"I hope it's made you think twice about riding around in things you've knocked together in ten minutes." He remarks.

"Says the guy who charged into being a state alchemist without every trying one single transmutation."

"My theory was sound, which is more than can be said for your constructions!"

Winry strikes him hard about the head with the flat of her palm and then enquires,

"Where've you put your silver watch? The last I saw you it was in your trouser pocket and its chain was displayed clearly on your hip in order to press your importance upon strangers."

"Firstly, the chain was at my hip because it was the only place that it hung comfortably, secondly, I'm afraid that I no longer have my watch. Archer took it from me before I left for Liore."

"Did Alphonse not return it to you?" The colonel enquires as he glances across to Al.

His brother is making a show of tapping the suit and it is only when he states, "I seem to have lost I along the way," that he knows the watch has been destroyed by the presence of the stone.

"Perhaps it is for the best. If Archer had his hands upon the thing it is likely that he filled it with red stones."

"Why would he do such a thing?" He enquires, his mind racing with how the presence of red stones had affected Kimberly's transmutation.

"For the same reason that the military gave us stones during the war; to boost your power far beyond its normal limitations."

"To turn me into a weapon, you mean?"

"That is correct."

Recalling how even the barest of contact with red water had affected him he suppresses a shiver and says,

"Perhaps it was, indeed, for the best."

………………………………………………………………………………..

Their father awaits them on the doorstep, his expression giving over no hint of what he is feeling.

"I'm home, tousan." His father smiles, the thing a soft comfort and then he says,

"Welcome home, Edward, Alphonse."

Al tenses and, stepping a little from the rest of the group he says,

"I am sorry that I took this action without asking for your permission, tousan and I am sorry also that I concealed it from you for so very long."

"I am not angry with you, Alphonse, but I am disappointed that you believed this the only solution and that you allowed Winry to worry for you."

"I understood why he kept his silence, Mr Elric and I have forgiven him for the hurt that he caused me." Winry responds.

"I'm actually quite tired, tousan, I think I'll take the armour to my room and then get an early night." Al remarks, the lie believable enough that only their father and the colonel look uncertain.

The colonel spends an hour delegating odd tasks to his men and then he joins both his father and himself for a quite meal.

They are lodged deep in a debate over the practical application of alchemy when his father tenses and falls silent.

"Tousan, are you alright?" He enquires, the words cutting the conversation and effectively halting it altogether.

"I feel a little faint…I think, perhaps, that I shall retire for the night."

"Let me help you upstairs."

"I believe that I can manage, Edward." He remarks, his tone leaving no place for argument.

The tense silence lingers for a few moments after his father is gone and then the colonel enquires,

"Why did you take up the pursuit of the stone again, Edward?"

"You used your medical leave as an excuse to look into the mater of the 5th laboratory, didn't you?"

"That is correct."

"Lieutenant Hawkeye was concerned about the risk you were inviting through such an investigation and thus she guided me into a position where I could be of aid to you."

"I asked her not to mention to the investigation to anyone else…why would she disobey that order and place you into danger also?"

"How could she know the true extent of what was happening within that place, or what involving me would mean? As to why she disobeyed your order…she cares for you, colonel."

"Why did you continue to pursue the stone after the collapse of the 5th laboratory?"

"I learned some very unsavoury things while within that place, things that I wished to understand in order that I might do away with them…also…also it seemed possible that tousan might have had a hand in the matter."

"So you investigated how deeply your father was involved?"

"Not precisely. Al had seen the name of another alchemist mentioned in tousan's notes and we decided to see how she was involved in the matter rather than chase after tousan."

"Dante, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct. She told us some bitter 'truths' about tousan and I fear that I was more than a little childish towards her." He takes a deep breath and then says, "A homunculus showed up while we were there and everything snowballed rather out of control."

"Is that when your right leg was broken?"

"How did you know I'd broken my leg? I'm certain Al wouldn't have mentioned it and I made sure that everyone else around at the time believed that I'd simply bruised the bone a little…"

"You're walking in a slightly altered manner, something that was most likely caused by a sever injury to one of your legs and, in making that assumption, I decided to enquire as to when such an injury occurred."

"My leg was, indeed, broken droning that time and I pushed it enough that, even now, it hurts for me to use it as I once had."

"You should take more care of yourself, Edward."

"So says the man with a mettle leg."

The colonel smiles and responds, "touché," his tone full of a light playfulness that eases the atmosphere.

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T: More of the conversation in the next chapter which will be up Saturday at the latest. Review.


	32. Connection

32. Connection.

T: Early update courtesy of the fact that my silly body clock woke me up a good five hours before I need to be at work! The slash takes another step up in this chapter, though it's nothing too hot and heavy! Apart from this warnings remain the same as does the disclaimer.

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He is fearful to again begin the previous conversation, for he knows doing such a thing will dampen the mood, thus he is pleased when the colonel breaches the silence with an enquiry of,

"How did you come to find yourself in Liore?"

"Talking to Dante it became clear to me that there was more to the matter of the stone than I had originally believed and Ishibal seemed the most logical place to uncover a little of the truth. Lieutenant Hawkeye will have told you that I came to the refugee camp at Kishua."

"That is correct."

"I went there to talk to one of the refugees of the stone and of Ishibal's involvement in that object. I learned that Ishibal had once held alchemic knowledge and that they had used that knowledge to attempt to create a stone during the civil war. However, the gentleman in question could not destroy lives simply to save them and thus the attempt was forgotten." He pauses a moment to fetch himself a glass of water and, once he is again settled, he says, "The one who entertained the idea of creating a stone was Scar's older brother and I learned that Scar planned to finish what that individual had begun. Desperate to stop him before he killed more innocent people I chased after him and ended out in Liore."

"I understand your want to stop Scar, Edward and yet I wish you would have told me why you were so desperate to enter Liore…wish that I had been given the opportunity to pull you from the matter before it got this far."

"By 'this far' you mean what, precisely?"

"Your brother's soul has become tied to that suit, has it not? Also there is a completed stone contained within the armour, isn't there?"

"How can you know that?"

"It was clear that Al was searching for an excuse to leave the group, something which could mean only that he was harbouring a secret of some sort. That he did not simply lease the connection to the armour was suspicious, as was the distance that you kept always between you."

"Yet to leap from such deductions to the matter of the stone…you know more about this that you are letting on, don't you?"

"I have been given information that has enlightened me to a few of the 'mysteries' surrounding the stone."

"Mysteries such as Bradley's true nature, you mean?"

"That is correct."

"For someone to hold such knowledge they would have to be at the heart of the conspiracy, wouldn't they?"

"It is more that they have been observing the progression of the conspiracy."

"Can I ask you who this person is?"

"You may ask and yet I am afraid that I can not tell you. I hate that I have to keep the matter a secret, Edward and yet I have promised that I would maintain my silence."

"I understand, colonel and I will not ask you to break that promise. I would, however, like to know if there is anything else that you can tell me."

"The homunculi begin their 'lives' as little more than empty dolls, powerless and almost completely devoid of the most basic of skills. They are fed red stones and slowly they begin to grow, their strengths and their unique aspects hardening as they do as such. It is clear that someone has been cultivating the homunculus, feeding them the stone and then sending them out to create rumours of the philosopher's stone."

"If the stone truly is their goal then they shall chase after Al and I."

"You do not sound overly concerned by such a prospect."

"I'm fairly confident that I can defeat them, after all I've already killed one of their kind and I know their weakness. I'm not going to make any big promises though, it's going to be a challenge and I might yet fail." He smiles wryly and then he says, "I've learned so much these last few months, had so many of my beliefs challenged and yet I've never once been able to doubt you, not even when I learned the truth behind the Ishiballian conflict." He feels his skin heat as he realizes how those words must sound to the other and, turning a little from him, he says, "Not that that's at all relevant."

The older man sets a hand to his shoulder and says, "It is relevant to me, Edward," before he pulls him into an embrace.

The other's arms are strong about him and he feels protected by that strength, feels free simply to be himself rather than the persona that has become expected of him.

Winry had told him that, given time, he would understand his feelings for the colonel and, wrapped in the other's arms, he finally believes those words.

"Roy?" The other reacts to the sound of his true name and, leasing his hold a little, he enquires,

"What is it, Edward?"

"Thank you." He responds before he pulls the other into a kiss.

……………………………………………………………………………….

The door behind him opens the barest of inches and, tensing, he enquires,

"Who is it?"

"Could I have a moment, Alphonse?" His father sounds tired and thus it pains him greatly that he has to respond,

"I'd rather that I was alone for a while, tousan."

There is silence a moment and then his father says,

"I know what has happened, Alphonse."

He approaches the door then and, glancing at his father through the opening, he enquires,

"How could you know such a thing?"

"I am an alchemist and I have developed a second sense when it comes to transmutations, I am also your father and when you did not join us for supper I finally understood what was wrong."

Stepping to one side he allows his father into the room and then, settling again onto the floor beside the recumbent form of his 'true' body, he remarks,

"I do not know why this has happened. That Kimberly's transmutation would bind my soul made sense, for the imperfect compound in 'niichan's watch would have boosted the reaction enough that it responded to the DNA on the watch's casing and acted as a blood seal. However…"

"However, it makes no sense that the stone would also act in such a manner."

"You sensed the stone also?"

"That is correct."

"We were told that you once sought the stone, that you would do whatever you could to claim it as your own."

"You spoke to Dante?"

"That is correct."

"She and I parted on bad terms…I made her promises that, in the end, I could not keep…it is possible that she holds a grudge still."

"So you are not searching for the stone."

"Not any longer, no."

"I am glad."

There is a moment of companionable silence and then his father says,

"The stone has a unique power, one that has lead to the claims of it granting immortality, for using its strength one is able to move ones soul from body to body without fear of rejection or backlash."

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T: Yes there will still be a chapter Saturday! Review please!!


	33. Desperation

33. Desperation.

T: warnings and disclaimer remain the same.

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"The stone has a unique power, one that has lead to the claims of it granting immortality, for using its strength one is able to move ones soul from body to body without fear of rejection or backlash."

"Then while the stone is within me there is no way for me to return to my true body?"

"That is correct, though it is not as simple as removing the stone from within you. It is likely that the stone has blended with your body and that the only way to remove its influence upon your soul is to first affix your soul elsewhere and then to destroy the suit."

"Yet that would destroy the stone also!"

"It is not such a terrible price, Alphonse."

"Yes it is! The stone is the only sure way that we have of getting you better, of driving this illness from you once and forever."

"Yet the illness seems to have slowed in its progression."

"For now, perhaps and yet what about tomorrow, or the day after, what if it becomes so bad that you can no longer fight it?"

"Alphonse, you and your brother place such value on my life and yet I can not understand why, I walked away from the both of you, turned my back on this life, simply so that I might continue my selfish quest to better understand alchemy."

"You came back, though, tousan and you guided us when kasan was taken away, pushed our feet forward when all we had wished to do was stand still."

"Yet what if I had not come back, what if you had had to face that pain on your own?"

"What does such supposition achieve? You came back, tousan, that is all that mattered and to loose you now…" his father interrupts the thought by leaning down to kiss the armour's helmet and informing him,

"I love you both, Alphonse and I shall always be a part of your lives." He straitens then and, a half smile still upon his lips, he leaves the room.

………………………………………………………………………………

"The search party is here." Lieutenant Hawkeye states as she steps into the house.

"I shall go and ward them off." Roy responds all but instantaneously.

"Are you certain you wish to do this?" He enquires.

"I've chosen to protect you and Alphonse no matter what the risk."

He feels a warmth bubble in his heart and he has to squash the compulsion to kiss the other as thanks for such a tender gesture.

"Don't get yourself killed." He informs the other.

"Don't get yourself found." Roy counters before he steps out of the house.

"I suppose we'd better go hide in aunty's cellar."

"Give me a moment to say goodbye to tousan." Al dashes up stairs and returns but a moment later, his manner somehow managing to convay an extreem sense of panic. "He's gone. His things are missing from his room and I can't see him anywhere upstairs."

"Calm down, let's get to aunty's cellar and we'll discuss this further there, okay?"

"Okay."

Once they are settled in the cellar he reaches out for his brother and, once he has a metle hand firmly in his grip, he says,

"Now start again."

"Yesterday tousan came to see me, he knew what had happened and he wished to give me his perspective on the matter."

"Something that is understandable given Tousan's wealth of knowledge on the matter."

"That's what I thought and then, somehow, the mood changed. Tousan began talking about the time that he was absent from our lives, about the guilt he felt for that absense. He seemed so sad, 'niichan and so when I discovered that he had left without even so much as a goodbye…"

"He is protecting us, that is his motivation for leaving, this is what I wish to believe."

"I too wish to believe that, I wish also to believe that we shall see him again and put an end to this quest once and for all." Al's finger's tense, just bairly, about hims own and, a smile blooming onto his face, he says,

"I too wish to believe that the future holds such a meeting and such a conclusion."

They spend what seems like a lifetime in the cellar, discussing simple matters and generally enjoying one another's company. Eventually Winry calls them back up-stairs and, though he has want to enjoy the food that awaits him on the table, he says,

"I'm actually not hungry so I'm going to take a bit of a walk."

Winry goes to object but, understanding the motives behind his 'walk', Al interjects with,

"We'll save you come food incase you feel hungry when you come back, niichan."

"Thank you, ototo."

He goes first to the graveyard and, after paying his respects to his mother, he aproaches the grave of Sarah Rockbell.

"I am sorry that I have to do this, but there truly is no other choice." He remarks before he digs his fingers into the grave.

His skin coated in mud and his back pocket laidened with his guilty burden he comes to the side of his brother's 'true' body.

He assures himself that there has been no phyical damage caused by the compleete segritation of soul and body, then he does his best to arrange the body's limbs in a comfortable manner.

He knows very little medical alchemy and yet he does what he can to asuure the body remains precisly as it is in this moment. This exersise allows him time to clear his mind a little and, once he feels a little more 'himself' he kisses the body's forehead.

"I'll get you back to where you belong ototo, I promise!"

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T: There we go! I'm taking a short break in order to build up my stock of draft chapters so expect the next one Monday. As allways plese review!!


	34. Masquerade

34. Masquerade.

T: Insert witty commentary here…urgh I'm beet…still I'm making the effort to get the chapter out on time so go me!! Warnings and disclaimer remain the same.

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"Someone rang for Ed while you both in the cellar." Winry remarks after a moment of silence.

"Really?"

"I told him that Ed wasn't here and he began to cry…'tell him it's shou-chan, that it's very important. I don't mind if he hears this a year later I just need him to know that I called.' I thought that was an odd sort of a thing to say, especially when he was clearly so very desperate to talk to Ed."

"Shou-chan…Shou-chan…oh!"

"You know who it was?" Winry enquires.

"Possibly, but that's not really important right at this moment." He allows her a moment to register the serious note in his voice and then he says, "For the moment, Winry-chan, I am stuck like this."

"Oh." She looks a little shell shocked and when Edward steps back into the house all but a moment later she simply registers her presence with a numb hello.

"Something is the matter." His brother remarks.

"I have told her the truth of my current state."

"I see." Ed approaches Winry's side and, bending a little, he places a comforting hand to her face and says, "I'll do whatever I can to return him, Winry-'nee, to make everything alright again."

"I know you will Edward." She responds before hugging first his brother and then leaning over to hug him. "How is your apatite now, ototo?" She enquires after a moment.

"Much better for the walk." Edward responds.

"Where did you go anyway? You're covered in dirt."

Edward looks a little uncertain a moment and then he says,

"I decided to lay a false trail to the north, let a few people see me heading in that direction and generally cause a stir. On the way back my gimpy leg gave up on me and I tumbled."

"You know if that leg's really that bad I can always create some form of a support for it."

I appreciate the kindness of the offer, neesan, but I'll stick with what I have."

"Suit yourself."

…………………………………………………………………………………

"Ed, are you up?" Winry enquires as she gently taps the door.

"Come on in, Winry-nee." He responds. She is sat at the foot of his bed but a moment later, a gentle smile clear on her lips. "Thanks for letting us stay here last night, neesan."

"It seemed wrong to make you go back to an 'empty' house."

"Still…" Donning his gloves he strikes his hands together and then sets them against a bowl of clear water. Once the reaction is completed he dips his hair into the bowl and watches, with a self satisfied smirk, as it turns black.

"That's rather impressive," Winry remarks.

"It's actually a very simple reaction. Al's disguise is much more complex." He remarks as he gestures towards the far corner of the room.

Winry examines the giant bronze statute for a great while and then she says,

"You are leaving again."

"There is something that we need to do."

"You mean that thing we were talking about last night? You can carry on researching here in safety, can't you?"

"We can't risk staying in one place, especially when it places you in danger. Also both Al and I wish to see tousan again and ask him why he left us again."

"I see…you'll come back to us won't you, Edward, Al?"

"We can't promise anything but we'll try our hardest, right Al?"

"Right!"

…………………………………………………………………………………..

The train had carried them to within a mile of their destination before the soldiers had boarded it and the situation had become uncomfortable.

He'd weathered the borage of comments about his size with as much grace as possible and it'd only been when the soldiers had found his brother that he'd chosen to interfere.

There are too many of them to allow a simple escape and one they have broken free from the train he says,

"Go on ahead, Al, I'm going to create something to slow them down a little."

"I can help, 'niichan."

"Don't even think about it!" He remarks before he strikes his palms together.

It takes them an hour to reach the edge of Dubalith, by which point he is so exhausted that he simply books a room in the first hotel that they come across and flops into bed.

It is dark still when he is woken by a hand upon his shoulder and, without thought, he says,

"Get some sleep, ototo, we can talk in the morning."

"This body can't sleep, 'niichan." Al responds, the other's tone so very despondent that he is pushing himself up in bed not a moment later.

"I am sorry, I forgot for a moment."

"It's alright, 'niichan, I understand." There is a moment of silence and then Al enquires,

"Why wouldn't you let me perform alchemy?"

"We have no idea what would happen if you did such a thing and so it's better you do not try. We'll do some research, learn how the stone works and we'll take it from there, okay?"

"Is that why we've come back here, 'niichan?"

"Dante knew a great deal of the stone and it is possible that she left something behind that could be of use to us. Also this seems like the best place to begin the search for the one leading the homunculus."

"You plan to fight them?"

"That is correct."

"Because they have led this country to so many pointless wars?"

"And because they have manipulated desperate people for their own ends."

"You will want me to stay away from them, will you not?"

"We can not let them have the stone and yet that does not mean you can not be of aid to me. You were always better at the theoretical side of alchemy than myself."

"I would rather be at your side, 'niichan, but I understand why such a thing is, for the moment at least, impossible."

"Then you will not fight me on this?"

"No, not this time at least."

"We'll be fine, ototo."

"I hope so."

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T: There we go. Next chapter shall be Wednesday as I'm going to be bogged down in other things Tuesday! Review?


	35. Yearning

35. Yearning.

T: Vague cliff hanger this chapter and a great deal of exposition, thus the plot suffers a little!! Other than this the warnings and disclaimer remain the same.

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He leaves Al burred in a vast pile of text books that he had acquired, earlier that day, from the local library.

Despite how very genuine his brother's words had been the night previous he cannot quite squish the apprehension that has built in his stomach or the compulsion to run back to assure himself that the other is still within the room.

The walk to Dante's house invokes within his heart a series of unpleasant memories and a faint ache in his right leg that he knows is purely psychosomatic.

There is a strange woman tending the garden and, instantly on edge, he says,

"I had thought to find this house empty still."

The woman regards him a long moment and then enquires,

"Are you Edward Elric?"

"That is correct."

"Are you aware that you are a wanted man?"

"I'm aware of that fact, yes."

"Then might I ask why you have come here of all places?"

"I had had a want to look through Dante's research notes."

"Are you fighting the homunculus?" The question is unexpected and the woman smiles a strained smile before informing him, "My name is Izumi Curtis."

"You are the one who attacked a military hospital?"

"That is correct."

"It's been a while since I saw the incident report but weren't you trying to stage a rescue?"

"That is also correct. They took a child…my son…hostage, claimed that he was a 'risk' and that they needed to keep him locked away in that place in order to research him. I was not going to let them treat him like a laboratory rat, no matter what he was and so I broke him free."

Something in the phrasing of her words stirs a thought in his mind and he enquires,

"Is the one you call your 'son' a soulless replica of that child?"

"So you have seen him have you?"

"Yes." There is a moment of silence and then she tells him,

"After I was married I yearned for a child, my every thought was consumed by the desire to carry a life within me and to hold that life in my arms. When I fell pregnant I was overjoyed and I planned diligently for the life my child would lead, painted its bedroom and picked out two potential names. He was still born and as I held his cold body I knew that I could not let him go…knew that I would pay whatever toll I had to in order to bring him back to life. "

"So you transmuted his body?"

"Yes, but what came back was not human and so I offered it back."

"To what?"

"The gate."

He knows that terminology well and, shivering slightly, he enquires,

"So how did he come back into you life?"

"I visited the place where I performed that transmutation every year to remind myself of what I had done, of what it had cost me and what it had given me." She places her bare hands together then and, striking them to the floor, transmutes a small patch of rosemary.

"You can perform alchemy without a circle?"

"That is correct."

"And the 'toll' you spoke of?"

"Some of my insides have been taken from me which means that I am constantly medicated, that I cough up blood and, most painful of all, that I shall never be able to mother another child."

"That's terrible."

"Perhaps." She smiles the same empty smile and then says, "One day I came to that place and I found a boy there, he looked a little like me and was of the same age as my son would have been. I thought that perhaps he had come back, that it'd all been worth something and so I took him home. For a while everything was fine then someone stole him away and when I found him again he had changed…had become something other than what he had once been."

"The others must have found him during that time and given him the nutrients he needed in order to make him a true homunculus."

"You seem to know a great deal about this, Edward Elric."

"That is true and yet I need to learn more if I ever hope to truly defeat them."

"Is that why you came here?"

"Yes."

"Then let us see what we can find, shall we?"

……………………………………………………………………………

He has spent an hour working his way through the books that his brother had left him and, having come no closer to a solution, he decides to take a slightly more 'hands on' approach.

Pulling the number for 'shou-chan' from his pocket he procures the nearest telephone and then phones the number in order to arrange a meeting between them.

The meeting point is an abandoned warehouse and, as he steps into the space, he is met with a hunched figure he recognises well from the final terrible moments within the 5th laboratory.

"Shou Tucker."

"Alphonse Elric." The creature shifts and, catching sight of the thing within its arms, he enquires,

"Is that your daughter?"

"Your brother has told you everything then."

"That is correct."

"That being the case I am surprised that you asked for this meeting."

"You hold knowledge that I wish to learn of."

"Knowledge that deals with the stone?"

"That is correct."

"Can you not ask your brother for such information?"

"Oniichan has given up the stone."

"How odd, he seemed so very driven before."

"The priorities within our lives have changed."

The other remains silent a moment and then he says "follow me," as he opens a trapdoor and steps down into the darkness.

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T: So I decided to include Izumi after all! It made sense for Ed to have someone tell him about Wrath and who better to do such a thing than the child's mother? My Izumi is a little bitterer than anime Izumi mainly because she's had to suffer alone with her sin rather than sharing it with the boys! Next chapter Friday at the latest, until then why not review?


	36. Enlightenment

36. Enlightenment.

T: A little more of that wondrous exposition this chapter, again please forgive me for this fact but it has to be done at some point! For those wondering how much longer this madness will continue, it seems likely that it'll reach around the 45 chapter mark which is quite something considering I'd never gotten beyond 15 before this fic! Warnings and disclaimers remain the same.

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They end out in a working laboratory filled with half sketched transmutation circles and a vat full of children akin to the one in Tucker's arms.

"I can use the power within you to join these bodies together in order to create a true replica of my daughter's body." Tucker remarks as he places the girl with her kindred.

"You knew that I held the stone?"

"Correct. I have heard many stories centred about the occurrence within Liore and it seemed more than coincidence to me that you became wanted men after that incident. The Fuhrer wishes only to obtain the stone and it would make sense of him to send his men after those who have attained it."

"You know what he truly is, don't you?"

"Of course, he visited the 5th laboratory often while I was there, the other homunculus and their leader always at his side."

"Who is their leader?"

"We can discuss that later, for now I'd like to take a look at the completed stone." The moment that Tucker's fingers connect with the armour he can feel his true body. The link is not as strong or as certain as that which had been established when Ed had touched him; something that he understands is due to the differing levels of their alchemic skill.

Stepping from the other's grasp he says,

"I am afraid that my body is the stone."

"So this is why Edward has 'given up' on the matter."

"He is afraid of what might happen to my soul if we use the stone and he has decided to face the homunculus before dealing with that issue. I understand why he has made such a choice, understand why he wished me to stay away from this matter and yet it is clear to me that we shall not learn to use the stone from reference books."

"I shall teach you to use the stone, Alphonse, but in return I would ask that you allow me to use a portion of it for my own purposes."

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"It seems there is nothing here that can be of use to you." Izumi remarks as she begins placing books back onto Dante's shelves.

"What sort of a woman was Dante?"

"She was a highly gifted alchemist who inherited that symbol," she gestures towards the Sigel hung over Dante's desk and then says, "Or at least that is what I believed for the longest of whiles. Now I not help but wonder why she hid her knowledge away."

"State alchemists do the same thing."

"Because they are selfish, because they wish to keep their knowledge to themselves. Dante wished to use her knowledge to help this world and yet, despite this want, she often told me that she believed it too much of a risk to share all of alchemy's secrets." She pauses in her task and, opening out a draw, she enquires, "You are Hoenheim's son, are you not?"

"So even you know of tousan."

"His name has spread far, Edward, something you shouldn't be surprised by and, even if I had not, I would still know of him. Dante talked often of him, you see, yet if ever I tried to mention his name she would change the subject or become harsh." Pulling a slip of paper from the desk she says, "Even so it seems she could not quite bring herself to throw this away."

He knows his father's hand the moment he sees it and reads only the first few paragraphs before handing it back and saying,

"This is a love letter."

"From your father to Dante."

"I saw Dante, she was clearly 20 years my father's senior and it seems unlikely that he'd have dated her."

"That is not the issue here. The date written on that letter us from the Christian calendar."

"The Christian calendar?"

"It was based on an old religion that is no longer practiced. According to the date on this letter it was written over 400 years ago."

He feels the world spin and, placing a hand out to steady himself he enquires,

"What does that mean?"

"Perhaps nothing, the names could simply be a coincidence and yet it is possible..."

"It is possible that my father is the one controlling the homunculus."

"It's better not to jump to conclusions, Edward, yet if this proves to be the case do you think that you will be able to cope with it?"

He can not give her a response to this enquiry and they fall into a tension filled silence.

As he is leaving the house he catches Izumi's eye and, bowing low, he says,

"I am sorry."

"Don't be foolish, Edward, you are simply doing what has to be done."

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T: Expect another chapter tomorrow. Review.


	37. Lust

37. Lust.

T: Nothing to say about this chapter other than that warnings and disclaimers remain the same.

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"Your brother truly is a genius, Alphonse-kun. He recognised the need for a seven sided circle all but instantly."

Pausing in the task of painting the circle onto the ceiling of the laboratory, he enquires,

"So you are simply copying 'niichan's method, are you?"

"It is more that I am expanding on the idea. You know it is more than likely that Edward realised that this method could be used to activate the stone."

"It is possible, but 'niichan kept that knowledge to himself because he was unsure of the consequences of activating the stone, also…also I believe 'niichan wished me to worry a little more for my own sake and a little less about others."

"It seems more to me as though he has lost the want to use the stone in the manner that you had originally intended."

"That is not true! 'niichan wishes tousan restored as much as I do!"

Tucker does not respond to this remark, but instead he enquires,

"Will you come here a moment, Alphonse-kun?"

The instant that he steps towards the other he feels a heat coursing through his body and he finds himself being lifted up and over the vat filled with replicas of Tucker's daughter.

"What is happening?"

"I am taking my portion of the payment now, Alphonse-kun, but do not worry, we shall be able to use the stone again." Tucker remarks before he sets his hands down onto the floor surrounding the vat.

………………………………………………………………………………….

His brother is not there when he returns to the room, something that, if not from the broken window, would not have surprised him in the least. Yet the glass, as well as the general state of disarray that the room is in, sets warning bells off in his head.

A note sits of the desk and, caution in his every step, he approaches and then picks the thing up.

'Oniichan,

It seems as though the book research is going nowhere and so I'm going to go and talk to an expert.

I'll be back soon.

Ototo.'

The decision is a little foolhardy and he is about to chase after the other when he feels a sharp pressure at the nape of his neck and a familiar voice says,

"You are looking well for one who is being chased."

"I finally understand you completely, Lust."

"Is such a statement intended to frighten me?"

"Indeed." He responds as he ducks away from the strike that is clearly coming, a move that means that Lust connects with the desk draw, and the locket contained within, rather than with himself. The elation he feels for this small victory is snuffed but a moment later as Wrath jumps down from the ceiling.

"I'm going to pay you back!" The child remarks as its strong fingers wrap hard about his throat and begin to squeeze.

"Kill me if you want to, it's not going to make any difference to the fact that you are not human!" He strikes the child's fingers then and, as the other's grip relaxes, he breaks himself free.

Given no other option he jumps through the broken window and, landing in a manner that distributes as much force to his stronger leg as possible, he makes a break for freedom.

Lust falls before him not a moment later, sweat clear on her brow and anger clear in her eyes,

"You should not have done that, Edward."

"I was simply defending myself."

The homunculus glances up to the window and, her voice dropping to a whisper, she enquires,

"Have you truly created a stone?"

"Yes."

"Then would you use a portion of it to make me human?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I know where your brother has gone."

Wrath joins them before he can give his response and thus there is no solid motivation behind Lust's choice to attack the other homunculus.

"Why are you doing this?" He enquires.

"Why else?"

"Do you really believe that I will make you human?"

"Why do you make it sound as such a foolish thing? If you made us human then there would be no one left to chase you and you could live a peaceful life."

Finally overcoming the shock of being attacked by one he had believed ally Wrath strikes out for them then and Lust again leaps to his defence. He watches the pair battle a great while and it is only when Wrath uses the locket to again bind Lust that he interferes.

Once Wrath is secured Lust approaches him and says, "'That guy' shall never fulfil their promise to make us human, for they wish to use the stone only for their selfish needs," before she turns to him and says, "Let's go, Edward Elric."

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T: Wish to review? Question my logic? Or generally moan about something? Then press the little blue button!!


	38. Seal

38. Seal.

T: Beware the twist…with that ominous warning out of the way let me say that disclaimers and other warnings remain the same.

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"Where the hell are we going?"

"Sloth is chasing after your brother, I would have thought that you would wish to get to him before she does."

"I've still not promised to make you human."

"Why…"

"Why? That's what I should be asking isn't it? Why would you desire to be human? You are going to live forever in that form and, for whatever reason, you seem to enjoy the life you're living so why would you wish to change that?"

"Isn't it rather cruel for you to ask that question? If you truly believed that then why are you so desperate to return your brother to his true form?"

He is unable to respond to this enquiry and Lust responds,

"My reasoning is the same as your own."

He halts then and, fearing what her response might be, he enquires,

"Do I know the one who is leading you?"

"That is a good question and I shall answer it once I am human."

"So you're bribing me?"

"Perhaps." The other responds.

…………………………………………………………………………………

_A hand is holding his own, he can feel its warmth pressed against his palm and, curious, he opens his eyes._

_Aunty Pikano is there at his side, worry edged deep upon her brow. _

_He whispers her name and she regards him with a desperate relief before enquiring,_

"_Are you back? Has your brother made everything right again?"_

_He opens his mouth to respond but before he can do as such a fiery agony consumes him. _

_He has chance to see Pikano's face drain of it colour, to register the smell of blood in the air and then everything goes dark._

He 'wakes' to the familiar sight of Tucker's laboratory and, after a moment of disorientation, he finds the other lent over the vat, his hands occupied in the task of playing with the girl inside.

There are now no signs of the animal upon the girl's skin and she seems, at least physically, truly human.

"You see, Alphonse-kun, the stone has brought her back to me." Tucker remarks, the joy in his voice vanishing as a shape forms itself from the water that coats the floor.

He knows this individual both from the photos that his father has shown him over the years and from the similarities in the features of this woman and the one whom has become so very treasured within his heart.

Tucker hugs hard to his daughter and the woman smiles wildly before saying,

"Do not worry, Tucker-san, I've no interest in your soulless doll. It takes a strong will to keep such a thing alive, something that is impossible for one at your level." She leans down towards him then and, a more sincere smile on her lips, she says,

"I would like you to come with me, Alphonse, for we can not risk anymore of the stone fading away."

For a moment he does not comprehend her words and then he registers the hole in the left arm of the armour. Staring at the glimmer of the light he understands, at last, why there had been the sent of blood within his 'dream', understands that this damage has reflected itself onto his true form.

"That looks painful, Alphonse, will you let me make it better?" Sloth enquires as she kisses the hole gently.

"Aunty?" The endearment spills from him without thought and, her smile deepening, Sloth says,

"Let's leave this place, Alphonse, let's leave and make everything right again."

It has been so long since someone has talked to him in quite this manner, since he has been treated as little more than someone's child and, despite his better judgement, his body responds to the tone.

Tucker attempts to stop their passage, pleading for another chance to make his daughter live again, an action that leads to Sloth rendering him unconscious.

"We've no more need of you, Tucker-san." She informs the recumbent figure before she takes one of his hands into her own.

……………………………………………………………………………………

His brother is in the company of Sloth, this is the first thing that his mind registers and thus the first words from his lips are,

"Get away from him!"

"'Niichan you have to let me go…something has happened." The words draw his eyes to the hole clear in the armour's right arm and, his tone frighteningly distant, his brother says, "Using the stone has destroyed a portion of the armour and also a portion of my true body. Tousan warned me that this would occur, warned how tightly my soul had become to the stone…"

"So if we were to use the stone as we had originally intended…"

"It would kill me."

Feeling disorientated he smiles and insincere smile and says,

"We'll find a way to overcome this, to separate your soul from the stone's influence."

"I am afraid that that is not going to be possible, Edward." Sloth responds.

"Do you propose to return him back to the way he was before you use the stone, or will you let this 'you know who' person kill him?" He strikes for her then, the blow enough to kill a normal human being and yet, for one such as her…

"It will take more than that to kill me, Edward." Sloth remarks as she returns his attack.

Dodging the blow he dashes away from the other and, as he had hopped, she follows on his tail.

He leads her to a particular spot in the warehouse and, allowing her to capture him, he says,

"While I was battling Greed I noticed a circle drawn into the floor, a circle which, as I now understand, was intended to seal him away."

Sloth glances downwards and, a smug smile on her lips, she says,

"Even this is not enough, Edward."

"Which is why I got this," he remarks as he reaches into his back pocket and, pulling free the item within in, places it into Sloth's torso.

"What have you done?" sloth enquires.

"I have reunited you with a piece of the one that you replaced." He responds as he watches the homunculus's form melt into her base component.

"'Niichan you should have let me come with you…should have had someone at your side while you did that thing." His brother remarks as he comes to stand at his side.

Sloth forms herself a rudimentary arm and, stretching out for the edge of the circle, tries to erase the seal.

"You shall gain nothing from that exercise, Sloth, for I carved that circle into the concrete with my fingers." Lust informs her 'colleague' as she steps from the shadows.

"Thank you for your help, Lust." He remarks as he tosses the other locket onto the floor before the other's feet.

"I did not do this to gain that thing back." She responds.

Forming a crude head Sloth enquires,

"Why then did you betray the 'one', Lust?"

"Do you not recall anything from 'before', Sloth?"

"What do you mean by that?" He enquires.

"I recall a little of the time before I died. There is no reason for this and yet still those memories exist…still they torture me…"

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T: Da da!! Next one Tuesday. Press the blue button!!!!


	39. Grief

39. Grief.

T: The end is nigh folks! Wrote the very last set of notes for this beast yesterday so I'm now fully clued on what's going to happen! This means that you are free to ask even harder questions (here I look to you Smallestghost!) Pointless blathering over and done with I would like you to note that warnings and disclaimers remain the same.

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His brother tenses as Lust voices this admission and, before he has chance to react, he has taken the bone from the circle and tossed it out of the window.

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"What If she too recalls her past? Imagine how happy Winry would be to have her mother again at her side."

"That thing is not Winry's mother, it's not even human!"

"For the moment, 'niichan, neither am I and yet you still consider me your brother, do you not?"

"There is no time to get into such things! Edward fetch the bone back and we may yet be able to seal her." Lust remarks as she strikes out for Sloth's newly reformed body.

He dashes out into the yard behind the warehouse and has just spotted the bone when a familiar voice enquires,

"Are you using that to hurt mama?" Wrath is balanced on the roof of the warehouse and, before he has chance to respond to the other's presence, the child has the bone within its possession. "I can't allow that!" The child remarks as it swallows the bone whole.

"That thing is not your mother Wrath."

"Shut up!" The child remarks as it lifts him up and throws him through the window back into the warehouse. It jumps in after him and, seeing Lust's careful effort to keep Sloth at bay it remarks, "Leave mama alone," before it charges for the other.

"Mama?" Al enquires.

"He's filling the void in his life with that thing!" He responds as he gestures in Sloth's general direction. Almost as though spurred onward by this casual reference the homunculus forms into a small funnel of water and pours itself into the hole in Al's arm.

The suit stiffens a moment later and begins to walk away from the general chaos.

"Go after him, Edward, I'll make sure that Wrath doesn't interfere any further," Lust remarks.

Thus prompted he chases after his brother, hesitating only once in the pursuit as a scream fills the air. Eventually he catches his brother up and, all but instantly, Sloth is forcing the armour against him.

"Stay back! If I touch him the stone will react and I might kill him!" He remarks as he takes a step from the armour.

"I understand that well, Edward Elric and that is why I am using him to attack you."

"Do you see now why I can name you human, Al, but refuse to call her as such? You would never make so heartless a statement." He remarks as he scratches the top of one of the many storage boxes that litter the room.

"You are trying to draw a circle, are you not? I shall not give you the time to complete such a task!" Sloth remarks as she again swings for him.

Ducking the blow he scratches onto the top of another of the storage boxes and, a smile on his lips, he pushes it towards its companion. Sloth flinches away from the newly created circle a moment too late and, caught into the reaction, her body freezes within the suit.

"I am sorry that I had to do that, Al"

"I am the one who should apologise, 'niichan. If I'd simply let you seal her away…"

"Let's forget it shall we? I wonder where Lust could be…" the thought trails and, perhaps prompted by this silence, Sloth says,

"I do recall that time…recall the scent of a child's skin and the warmth of a husband at my side…I thought that I'd understand once I became a true homunculus, indeed that person promised as such, but that has not proven to be the case." The armour begins to gently vibrate and he enquires,

"Are you agitating your cellular structure in order to generate heat and thus set yourself free?"

"As you said these memories do not mean that I am human and yet I feel as such…yearn only to hold my child one last time…" The words do not answer his enquiry and he is about to inform her of this fact when she slips from the armour and strikes for him.

He deflects this first blow with ease but the second lands hard enough upon his chest that the wind is knocked from him for the briefest of instants.

"Mama!" The sound of Wrath's voice distracts Sloth long enough for him to alter the composition of his metal arm and, when he returns her attack, the blow causes her to explode.

Drenched in a small portion of his 'mama's' cells Wrath enquires,

"What have you done?"

"I changed my mettle into a sodium based alloy and, as I had predicted, the alloy reacted to the presence of water within her construction."

Wrath steps into the puddle and pools portions of Sloth's cells into his hands.

"Mama, are you okay?"

"It seems that, even within you, the bone is having an affect upon her abilities and preventing her from regaining her 'true' form." He remarks as he sets his hands against the puddle. "Something that allows me to put a true end to this." He concludes as the puddle begins to evaporate.

"Why…why are you killing mama?"

"I told you before that that thing was not your mother and I did only what was necessary…what was best for everyone."

"That is true, ototo." He tenses t the sound of that voice and, already assured of what he shall find, he turns.

Winry stands a little to his left, a fragile smile lining her lips.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to know that you have grown up too swiftly, that you carry too much of a burden upon your shoulders and to know that there is nothing you will not do in order to protect those you love."

"If there had been another way…"

"That thing was not my mother, Edward, all the good intentions in the world would not have altered that fact." She steps then towards Wrath and, taking the child into her arms, she buries her face into its shoulder.

"Well done, Edward." The voice and the for, is Roy's, yet there is something in the way that the other is holding himself that prompts him to remark,

"You really should think through your shape before you choose it!"

The Roy replica smirks and, its skin shifting to reveal Envy's face, it ceases onto Al's arm.

"There is no use in threatening me," his brother remarks.

"Because your life in no longer at risk? This I know, kid and it doesn't stop me from using you as a shield from your brother." Envy remarks as it lifts Al over one shoulder. "I'll be taking him now."

"To the one who has been controlling you and who has been controlling the search for the stone?"

"You make it sound as though you have no connection to that person."

"So 'you know who' is…"

"Don't even think it, 'niichan! Tousan would never participate in something so very cruel." Al remarks.

"As touching as that statement is I really do have to be going." Envy remarks as it makes its way from the group. The creature gets only a matter of feet and then Wrath has a hand about its legs.

"Shouldn't you be restraining the runt?"

"The one you are holding is capable of anything, right?"

"Yes, but you're not allowed to touch him."

"But he could bring mama back!"

"Shut up!" Envy remarks as he kicks the child from him. Freed from this simple restraint the homunculus re-shoulders his load and continues towards the warehouse's exit.

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T: Feel free to ask any burning questions! Next chapter up tomorrow, until then why not review!


	40. Regret

40. Regret.

T: An extra nudge further on the slash metre for this chapter though everything apart from this (including the disclaimer) remains the same. There is a little bonus bit at the end of the chapter just for fun.

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He goes to change the other, to stop him from taking Al from him again, but is prevented by the tight grip of Wrath's fingers about his neck.

"This is your fault! If you had not come mama would still be alive!

"Stop this! What use is there in hurting him? It won't bring her back!" Winry remarks as she strikes at Wrath's fingers.

The child rounds on her and says,

"She was your mother as well."

"No, no she was not." The child tenses and, tears clear in its eyes, he dashes from the warehouse.

Left alone with Winry he can do nothing other than say, "I truly am sorry, neesan."

"You can lodge yourself in such pointless apologies, for now we need to find Al."

Walking back through the warehouse he comes upon the transmutation circle he had used in an attempt to seal sloth and, spotting the locket, he says,

"It seems that that child is more powerful than I believed."

"Why do you say that?"

"He has sealed one of his fellow homunculus away which means that, somehow, he can use basic alchemy."

"Does that mean that you are going to have to kill him as well as the other homunculus?"

"It means I have to consider the possibility. I also have to begin to consider that tousan could be at the head of this mess."

"You truly have grown, Edward."

"I suppose that I have."

"So what is the next step?"

"As Bradley is the only homunculus whose location I am certain of, I'm going after him."

"Then I'll accompany you to central, for I've wanted to see Elisa again for a while now."

………………………………………………………………………………..

He'd made it into Central headquarters without raising much of a fuss and it is only when he discovers Bradley's absence that everything turns sour. For angry with himself for not checking the other's location he kicks out at a wall, the sound enough to draw the attention of two guards and begin a full scale chase.

He is growing fatigued when something ceases onto his left ankle and he is dragged, bodily, into a conference room. Stood within the room is a young solider who is a vaguely familiar face to him and two individuals that he had not thought to see again.

"Russell…Fletcher…I thought you had decided to clear your father's name."

The boy's glance to one another and then, looking vaguely abashed, the elder Tringiham says,

"We came into central to pick up a few research books and I got a little greedy…"

"You used my name again, didn't you?"

"Yes, and like last time it placed me into a great deal of trouble. It really does seem to me that you set out to deliberately break the rules." Russell remarks.

The last he had seen the brother's had been in the month before he'd first met Dante during one of the many 'quests' he'd been sent on during that time. He and his brother had been sent, on that particular occasion, to legendary city of Xenotime in order to investigate the general state of the city and, along the way, they had discovered corruption rife within the city's governing bodies. Wrapped deep into that conspiracy had been the Tringiham brother's, though, at the time, they had been claimed the Elric name. It was a foolishness that had lead the other brother's deep into trouble and that had eventually lead the pair to reveal the secret agony that had driven them to such extreme ends. The brother's had eventually aided them in revealing and undoing the harm the corruption had caused and, in doing as such, they had become one of the very few people that they knew that they could trust implicitly.

"I had secretly hoped, despite the odds stacked against us, that we would see one another again and it's a shame that it comes at such a poor moment." He remarks.

"Before you go, Edward, we wanted you to have this." Fletcher remarks as he hands over a slip of paper. He reads the words written on the paper very carefully and, his mind filled with this new information, he says,

"Thank you, both of you!"

"With that done, boys it's best we get going." The solider remarks as he ushers the boys from the room.

He follows a moment later and, working his way back of out of the building, he leaps in front of the first car that catches his eye.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to…" The words die in his mouth as he registers firstly lieutenant Hawkeye presence in the driver's seat and then Roy's presence at the back of the vehicle.

"Why are you here?" He enquires once he is settled next to the other.

"I'm going to face the fuhrer."

"Won't he have considered such a possibility and have made sure that his residence is well guarded?"

"He believes that I am in the north of the continent, staging a rebellion against his authority."

"A belief that you've deliberately fuelled?"

"That is correct."

"I was under the impression that you were going to combat him the slow way, build support for yourself and then rise to power though a majority vote."

"That was indeed my first thought and yet I began to see the risk such a choice was placing this world under, began to see that the longer that I stalled the longer people would be sent to meaningless wars."

"I too have reassessed my plans."

"Does that mean that you shall not be accompanying me to see Bradley?"

"That is correct. The true threat to us all is the one leading the homunculus and, if I destroy them, then perhaps this would might, at last, be able to live in peace."

"It seems odd to hear you voicing such a childishly idealistic dream, Edward."

"I suppose it does." Roy smiles and, signalling for Hawkeye to stop the car he says,

"Take the path that seems best to you, Edward and walk it without hesitation or regret."

"Do you plan to do such a thing also?"

"Yes, which is why I wished to tell you that I loved you."

"I love you also." He remarks before he leans in for a kiss.

It has been but the barest of times between this kiss and the last and yet the touch ignites in him a desperate fever that he can not quite quench.

He has loosed the collar of Roy's shirt and the elder man has unbound the tie of his hair before he comes back to himself and, pushing himself a little from the others touch, he says,

"Perhaps we should wait until after this mess is over and done with."

"Isn't that an indirect promise that we shall see one another again?"

"I suppose it is."

"I thought that you did not make foolish promises."

"For you I shall gladly make an exception." He sets his forehead against Roy's and a soft mile on his lips, he says, "I've got to go."

"Myself also." Roy leans across him then and, opening the car door he says, "Walk forward without regret, Edward and know in your hear that you've somewhere to come back to if you are able," before he gently nudges him from the car.

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T: The Extra bit is basically what happened in my head as I plotted the above Roy/Ed moment:

Me: So you and Roy are going to say goodbye to one another in this chapter Ed.

Ed: 'Goodbye' as in we might never see one another again?

Me: Yep.

Ed: Can I request a hot sweaty goodbye ala Titanic?

Me: You know Hawkeye will be in the car with you, right?

Ed: We could use a screen.

Me: No.

Ed: Okay then how about we tease the readers a little? You know give them a little skin…

Me: I like it!

Yes I am aware that holding internal conversations with characters that are not even my own is a sign of madness! Next update Friday, why not review in the mean time!!


	41. City

41. City.

T: Vague cliff-hanger and a deepening of the story line as we reach the climax (two more chapters to go people!!) other than this tease warnings and disclaimers remain the same.

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"Is this where the one who controls you is living?" He enquires as Greed places him onto the floor of an opulent bedroom.

"Yes, but that person is more to us than simply a puppet master. They have nurtured us and assured that we reach our truest potential."

"Despite such care that person shall never give you what you truly desire."

"Give me a little credit, I'm more than aware that 'that guy' intends to use the stone only for their own purpose, but I don't care." Envy's casual disregard of the other homunculus sparks anger in his stomach and he leaps for the other.

The creature simply lifts him back over its head and then says, "How many lives do you think are within you now? I'm simply making sure that they're put to a good use," before he sets him again to the floor and leaves the room.

Alone at last the creature's words repeat in his head and, for the very first time, he wonders if things might have been better if he had simply died within Liore.

…………………………………………………………………………………

He is surprised, upon entering the church, to discover Russell and Fletcher sat on one of the back pews.

"Why are you here?"

"We wanted answers as well, Edward and this seemed the best place to find them." Russell responds.

"Then why not simply charge on ahead?"

"If not for you, Edward, I would have lost faith in my father…would have believed what those people were saying about him…" Russell responds.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"More than you shall ever know." Russell remarks before he gestures towards the alter at the front of the church. "It's clear that the entrance to the laboratory lies within that alter."

"Along with several other of Central's darker secrets I've no doubt…perhaps it's better I do this alone."

"I didn't show you that diary entry so that you could bluster in there and forge a store, Edward." Russell remarks.

"I've no intention of making a philosopher's stone, Russell or of chasing the stone's legend any further. I wish only to rescue my brother."

"Then we shall wait here for you, right, Oniichan?" Fletcher enquires as he takes a gentle hold of Russell's fingers.

"That's right, so you'd better come back to us."

He does not respond to that statement, but instead he approaches the alter and, taking a deep breath, he creates an entrance into through the stone.

He walks through darkened corridors, through vast lake filled cavers and down long, narrow, staircases.

Eventually he comes upon a vast cavern that is filed with street upon street of empty buildings.

A little after reinstating their alchemy lessons their father had sat them both down and said,

"I've an important story to tell you, boys, a story that warns of the dangers hidden within alchemy's great power."

He'd then proceeded to tell them the legend of the city that had once been where Central now stood, of how that city had simply vanished. Their father had led them to believe that an alchemist had hidden the city but he had never given them a motivation for that action.

Staring down at the abandoned city everything becomes so very clear to him. Those that had lived within the buildings bellow him had been used to create a stone and then, in order to hide the absence of the citizens, the city had been buried away.

The cold calculation necessary to forge such a plan sends a shiver down his spine and again he wonders just how deeply his father is involved in this matter.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

He heads for the church that sits at the centre of the city and, upon opening the doors, is greeted with gentle snatches of music and the sight of Rose spiralling around the dance floor.

"Rose?"

"Edward! You finally came!" There is joy in her voice and yet as she pulls him close to her he can see the distance in her eyes.

"Why are you here, Rose?" He enquires as she begins to spin him gently about the floor.

"I was waiting for you here, Edward, for such a very long time."

He breaks from her grip then and, desperate to claw back some sense of normality, he enquires,

"Did you see my brother? Did they bring Al here?"

Rose's baby begins to cry then, the sound drawing the woman from his side and brining hi attention to the other within the room.

"Lyra?"

"You should have carried on dancing with her, Edward she's been waiting here from you since we fled here."

"So you brought her to this place?"

"There is a city beneath Central, a city that only alchemists know of, Dante-sama told me that before she died."

"How did that happen again?"

"I told you, Greed killed her."

"That is a lie. There was a circle in Dante's house at that time which had bound Greed within its confines, thus he could not have killed her."

"Yet she is dead."

"What if her body was simply a shell for an old soul and that, when I found it again, that soul had already moved on? Such a thing would be more than possible with the stone's power…what if that soul was not within the body that I see before me?"

"Wait…."

Whatever foolish logic she was going to give him is snuffed as he strikes his hands together and, creating a pike from the floor, throws the thing towards her.

The woman strikes her bare hands together and, a smile upon her lips, watches the pike implode into little particles of dust.

"At what point could Lyra have seen the Gate? That you could do such a transmutation without a circle tells me that you are indeed Dante."

"When did you realise?"

"That is not important. How many bodies have you used in this manner?"

"I am no longer completely certain, though I can assure you that it is less than ten, for I have had to use the stone on each occasion."

"A stone you created with the lives of those who once lived within this city?"

"That is correct, though I was not the only one to benefit from its construction."

"Because, at the time, my father was there at your side and you used the stone to move his soul also?"

"That is correct."

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T: Next chapter tomorrow. Review??


	42. Gate

42. Gate.

T: One more to go…it's so sad!! For warnings see the last chapter…no I don't own it, though I do own this plot line!!

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"I did indeed create a stone using those who once lived within this city, though I was not the only one to benefit from its construction."

"Because, at the time, my father was there at your side and you used the stone to move his soul also?"

"That is correct." She pauses a moment and then remarks, "However, time exposed his true character and he walked from such aid…from myself also."

Having no want to press further into this particular matter he enquires,

"Why allow people to believe that the stone is dangerous? Is not such a thing detrimental to your cause?"

"It would be more detrimental if humanity did not fear the stone and thus did not fear the thought of constructing it, for the power would be too great for them and they would waist its potential. Thus I twisted the perception of the stone, allowed them to believe it dangerous in order than they kept away from it. However, there shall always be those who would pursue the stone despite the danger it held and when such people began that search the homunculus would be there at their side, waiting for the chance to take the stone from them. This control has meant that humanity has remained free from the corruption that the stone would have inflicted upon them…has remained 'pure'."

"You talk as though you yourself are not human."

"That is because I am not, at least not any longer." She smiles then and suddenly he understands how very out of his depth he has become, of how very at risk his life is.

Thankfully Dante is distracted by the entrance of Gluttony and, when her attention fixes again on him, a little of the immediate threat has left her.

"It is a shame that you had to find me out, Edward, I had thought to take Rose's body and seduce you as I once seduced your father."

"Then Rose was your next target?"

"How could I resist the opportunity that her body presented? Especially when I have a stone again in my possession."

"Then Al is here! Bring him to me!" He remarks the words all but overlapped by Gluttony's desperate enquiry of,

"Where is Lust?"

"Ask Edward." Date responds.

All but instantly the creature is there at his side, its teeth sinking deep into his mettle arm,

"Where is Lust?"

"Wrath used my transmutation circle to seal her away."

"She's gone?"

"Yes."

The creature stumbles away and, taking advantage of this momentary distraction he strikes for Dante.

The blow lands wide, tarring the fabric of her dress and exposing a familiar decomposition of the skin.

"I never understood why tousan's skin suddenly began to decay or what could have brought on such a reaction, now, however, I understand completely. As you skip from body to body your soul degrades and, bit by bit, that degradation has begun to show itself physically."

"You really are far too clever for your own good, aren't you?" Dante enquires as she lifts Rose's child from its mother's grip. "Yet no matter how intelligent you are or how powerful you can not prevent petty cruelty…can not stop me from taking this baby's life."

"That is because people can not be controlled, because everyone has a right to craft their own destiny."

"Even should you destroy another's destiny in the process?"

"Yes."

"You truly are your father's child." She remarks before she sets a hand to the baby's stomach.

A transmutation circle appears bellow her fingers and then he is stood within the shadow of the Gate.

………………………………………………………………………………….

He wakes to an unfamiliar place and to an odd sort of tunnel vision. He has just registered the return of his right hand and the stranger's face looking at him from the mirror when another stranger bursts into the room.

"Did you not hear the siren?" The stranger enquires as he takes a gentle hold of his wrist.

He allows himself to be lead out of the house and onto the street, allows himself to be pulled a good mile before he registers the crafts in the sky and everything clicks into place.

His father had spun many a theory about the Gate and all that lay beyond, the voice of another pressing in his head, he understands that one of those theories had been correct. For beyond the Gate lay a world separate to their own, a world that had developed in a manner other than theirs and that was responsible for his 'gift'. For his father had also theorized that the deaths of those beyond the Gate created the energy that they used to transmute one object into another.

He feels suddenly so very dirty and, glancing up at the cloud filled sky, he wonders if it might be better if he remained on this side of the Gate.

All but the moment that thought enters his head he feels a heat at his heals and, turning, he is met with the advancing inevitability of death, is met with the most terrible of choices.

………………………………………………………………………………...

Tumbling from the Gate he is met with the sight of his brother caged within a transmutation circle. His mind focuses onto the one thought of reaching the other and he manages to get within inches of the circle before there is a gentle pressure at his neck.

"There shall be no interference from you this time, runt." Envy remarks.

He turns on the other and his is met with Hughes's smiling confidence,

"You wouldn't hurt me would you, Edward? Not after all that I've done for you."

"You won't fool me!" He remarks as he strikes the other.

"No, but I'm making sure that your not fighting me at your strongest…that a part of you is hesitating," the creature remarks as its form shifts to again imitate Roy.

"You are nothing more than a coward!" He remarks as he strikes again for the other.

"That is not true!"

"Then fight me with your true face!"

The Roy replica smiles and says, "As you wish," before his body shits.

He is looking now not at the face of the one he has come to know as Envy, but at the young man that his father would have been so many years ago.

"Tousan?"

"That's right, Edward, Envy is the child that I had by your father…is your brother."

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T: Update tomorrow…running away now! (Review?)


	43. Goodbyes

43. Goodbyes.

T: Last chapter and I wish to say a big thank you to both Thesmallestghost and Bar-Ohki for being amazing reviewers and pushing me to carry on writing this monstrosity! Extra large chapter, slash, etc, etc also I own nothing that you see here!!

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"That is right, Edward, Envy is the child I had by your father…is your brother." Dante informs him. "The one he replaced was killed by mercury, a loss that hit Hoenheim heard and yet when I showed him what I had done…when I showed him that I had brought our child back to him…he walked away."

"I hate that man for that action and yet I hate you even more. Why should he love you more than he loved me, why should he come back to you?" Envy enquires as the creature steps towards him.

He feels a hand then on his shoulder and suddenly he is being pushed towards his brother…pushed away from the surprise attack that Envy has just conducted.

His father stands now in the space that, but moments previous, he had occupied, Envy's hand stuck proudly out of the elder man's back.

"I am sorry that I walked away from you, that I did not take responsibility for what she had done to you…" His father places a gentle hand to Envy's face and a soft smile on his lips, he says, "goodbye, my son," before he strikes his hand into the creature's torso.

The homunculus collapses then to the floor, its hand sliding free his father's body and freeing the other at last. Instantly he is there at the elder man's side, his hands crushing the other's body hard to him.

"Why…why did you do that?"

"I could not watch you be tainted by my mistakes as that child was, Edward, could not watch you waist your potential on someone such as myself. Thus I chose to stop running away and, once I had tied my loose ends and removed the last residue of that boy's body from its hiding place, I came here to face him…I am glad that I got here in time, that I stopped him from hurting you." The other sags a little harder into him then and he enquires,

"Tousan, is everything alright?" When he is given no response he presses a finger to the man's neck and, upon finding no pulse, he screams out in an incoherent rage.

He comes back to himself as his brother's voice says,

"Stop, 'niichan, please stop." The other had freed himself from the circle, the toll of this escape showing well in the absence of the armour's right arm.

"What have you done?"

"What was necessary to be at your side one more time, 'niichan, to stand with you as everything comes to an end." His brother pulls him close then and, as he is furled into that cool embrace, he registers the blood staining now Dante's face and the promise of a painful death clear in her smile.

This is the forth time that he has face the certainty of his own death and this is the very first time that he is not at all afraid…that he can say that he will leave his life without regret.

Dante brings her hands together and a fire sparks about her.

"I can only control the flame for so long, Edward." A most beloved voice remarks.

Roy stands in the doorway, his skin slick for blood and Rose's slight form propped up on one shoulder. "I'm serious, Ed." The anger in his tone pushes away a little of the numb sensation that has clouded his him and, tapping his brother's back, he says,

"Let's go, Al."

………………………………………………………………………………..

Roy leaves them in the Tringiham's company as he 'clears up' matters bellow and, upon his return, he furls him hard into an embrace.

"Tell me everything," He commands.

He spins the man his story, bleeding out his anger, self hatred and grief with the words. As he reaches the matter of his father's death his emotions betray him and he breaks down into uncontrollable tears.

Hugging him all the tighter Roy requests a moment of privacy and, once they are 'alone' he says,

"On the night before we got our automail your father wished to talk to me, do you remember?"

"Yes."

"He wanted to thank me for helping you, for protecting you even though it did nothing for my advancement and he wished also to tell me a very important story."

"He told you about all of this, didn't he?"

"That is correct and then he asked me to say nothing to you until 'the time was right'."

"Wouldn't that have been before he did such a stupid thing? When I could have stopped him?"

"No, because he did not wish to be stopped." Roy brushes his tears away then and, kissing his forehead, he says, "That night he told me 'Those boys wish me to be at their sides forever and yet such a thing is not possible. I have, after all, chosen to die in this form and, though that is a selfish decision, I do not regret it, for this is the body that Trisha loved.'"

"I see."

"There is also this." Roy passes him an envelope then and, looking at his name, scribed in his father's curled hand, he feels the tears threatening again.

He calls Al to him and they read the note together, their manner remaining clam despite the grief they feel.

'Edward,

There are many lessons that I shall never be able to teach you, yet I have no regret, for you are growing into such a fine boy and you are leading the best of examples for your brother.

Boy now you shall know that, for a time, I participated in Dante's crimes…stood aside as innocent people died…it is a sin that has weighed my life down and that has, at long last, caught up with me.

For the longest of times I have simply sat on the sidelines and yet, with your brother so very at risk, I know that I can no longer do as such. Thus I have done what I can not help you bring your brother hack to himself and I have sent this note, along with a list of suggested reading material, to Brigadier General Mustang's office in the assurance that he shall deliver both into your hands when the time is right.

I shall not ask for your forgiveness or your brother's for I do no deserve such a thing. I wish only for you to know that I loved you and your mother very much, that the love of this family has given me a reason to again live my life.

Otousan.'

…………………………………………………………………………………..

"'Niichan, were you trying to leave without saying goodbye again?" There is a flicker of a smile in the corner of his brother's mouth that tells that his anger is little more than an act and, feeling a little childish, he raises his hands up in defeat,

"Okay you got me! It's just so hard to say goodbye to the kids, especially when they give me those puppy eyes."

His brother breaks into a bright laughter and, catching a hold of him with his mettle arm, he says,

"You know they only do it because they love you so very much and because you're their favourite uncle."

"I'm their only uncle."

"True." There is a moment of silence and then his brother says, "You know you could always come and live with us. Winry would be more than happy to have you back, the kid's would be ecstatic and I miss you so when you're away."

He hugs a little tighter to the other and, a note of guilt in his voice, he says,

"My life is in Central now, ototo."

"You'll give Roy my best, won't you?"

"Of course! You're still travelling up for my 21st right?"

"We wouldn't miss it for the world!"

…………………………………………………………………………………….

_He had wondered aimless for a long time after that alchemist had killed the woman he had thought of as 'mama', thinking first of begging Dante to bring the woman back and then thinking of doing the thing himself._

_He knows that such alchemy is beyond him, knows that the fire that his right arm has placed into his blood had only just proven enough to wake the array that the other alchemist had drown and Seal Lust away. Yet despite this knowledge he pursues the idle thought for a time. _

_He has been walking for what seems like days when he begins to regurgitate the stones that had been given to him by Envy, a little of his determination and anger bleeding from him as the things empty from within him._

_By the last mouthful he has lost his comprehension of the world, has lost everything other than his desperate want to be at his mother's side again. _

_It is then, lost and confused, that a warm hand reaches for him and a gentle voice enquires, _

"_Where have you been, son?"_

……………………………………………………………………………………

Feeling in an oddly nostalgic mood Gracia Hughes pulls out an old photo album from her shelves.

She flicks through the many pictures of her husband posing with Alisa, her hands rubbing over each image as though trying to capture the memories.

She pauses a moment as she reaches the middle of the album, her fingers resting over a shot of the three of them stood together and then a voice enquires,

"That was the day we learned there was going to be another addition to the family, wasn't it?"

"I'd forgotten that!" She remarks as she passes the album into her husband's care.

The man flicks through the other half of the album, a gentle smile on his lips and, once he has reached the end, he enquires,

"They grow up so quickly, don't they?"

"It seems like only yesterday that little Tom celebrated his first birthday and yet tomorrow he'll be 16…it almost makes you feel old, doesn't it love?"

"Talk for yourself!" The other remarks before kissing her gently and returning to the task of blowing up balloons.

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T: I think that's all the loose ends tied. I may do a small side story on Roy and Ed at some point down the line…will see how the inspiration takes me! Review???


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